ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State baseball team scored three runs with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to rally for a 7-5 victory over Northern State in game one of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader at Fossum Field on Tuesday. The victory helped SMSU earn a split of the doubleheader as NSU snapped a 3-3 game with two runs in the seventh and added two more in the eighth to win 7-3 in game two.
 
SMSU is 21-13 overall, 16-11 NSIC, while NSU is now 8-26 overall, 4-23 NSIC.
 
In the opener, Carter Lang tied the game in the seventh with a two-out run-scoring single to plate Levi Lampert, while Owen Latendresse—who homered in the sixth inning—provided the game-winning hit with a two-run double to put SMSU in the lead.
 
Cameron Jensen (3-0) earned the victory by tossing 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief and ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts with runners on first and second base.
 
SMSU snapped a scoreless game in the third with Lang ripping a two-out RBI single to left field that plated Cory Bantam. Evan Behn also scored on the play following a throwing error to third base. Lang ended up at third on the play and sprinted home moments on a wild pitch to push the lead to 3-0.
 
NSU answered off SMSU starting pitcher Jameson Quinn with three runs, scoring one on double, another on an RBI double and the third on a throwing error.
 
The Wolves would take the lead in the fifth scoring a pair of unearned runs and build a 5-3 advantage.
 
SMSU closed to within a run in the sixth behind Latendresse's third home run of the season.
 
Lang finished game one 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Latendresse finished with two hits and three RBIs.
 
Quinn tossed 4 2/3 innings and allowed five runs (two earned) on seven hits with three walks, two hit batters and two strikeouts. Bennett Knapper retired batter in the fifth, while Jensen struck three, allowed two hits and walked one in earing the victory.  
 
In game two, SMSU opened the scoring in the third inning as Lampert walked and scored on a two-out RBI double by Latendresse.
 
NSU took the lead in the home half of the third, plating a two runs on three hits off SMSU starting pitcher Cody Wichmann. The Wolves would add to the lead in the fifth scoring an unearned run to build a 3-1 advantage.
 
SMSU rallied to tie the game in the seventh and had a great chance to regain the lead. Nathan Wheeler started the frame with a double and scored on a run-scoring base hit by Lampert. With one out, SMSU took advantage of three straight walks, the last to Lang with the bases loaded, to tie the game at 3-3. However, with the bases loaded and one out, NSU was able to escape further damage recording a ground out and strikeout to keep the game tied.
 
NSU would use a pair of infield hits to start the seventh off Knapper to eventually plate two runs and regain the lead at 5-3. NSU would add a two-run homer in the eighth to put the game away and snap a 10-game losing streak in the series.
 
SMSU was limited to six hits in the nightcap with Behn and Latendresse each collecting two hits, while Lampert and Wheeler each had one hit. Lampert also walked twice and extended his on-base streak to 34 straight games.
 
Wichmann pitched the first 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Cullen Huppert tossed one shutout inning, while Knapper (1-2) suffered the loss allowing two runs on two hits. Austin Dent, Noah Cekalla, Cole Frisbie and Vinny Mauro all saw action in relief.
 
SMSU continues road play this weekend with a three-game series at Winona State. Friday's doubleheader begins at 1:30 p.m. with Saturday's single game starting at 12 p.m.