WINONA, Minn. – Winona State used a walk-off solo home run by Cole Fuecker in the bottom of the 10^th inning to earn a stunning 8-7 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in game two of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Friday at Loughrey Field. WSU scored two runs in the seventh, tied the game with a single a run in the ninth and used the home run to complete the sweep after earning an 11-7 victory in game one.
 
The teams complete the three-game series tomorrow with a single-game at 12 p.m. SMSU falls to 21-15, 16-13 NSIC, while WSU improves to 19-20, 15-14 NSIC.
 
In game two, SMSU held a 7-4 lead with two outs in the seventh before Fuecker greeted SMSU relief pitcher Cameron Jensen with a two-out, two-run double to cut the deficit to 7-6.
 
The score remained 7-6 until the ninth when the Warriors tied the game without a single batted ball leaving the infield. WSU opened the frame with two infield hits before a sac bunt put runners in scoring position. Jensen coaxed a ground out for the second out of the inning, but on the play the runner at second was caught in a run-down between second and third and was able to avoid the third out tag before the runner from third was able to sprint home and tie the game.
 
SMSU's Owen Latendresse walked to start the 10^th inning and moved to second with no outs following a wild pitch, but the Mustangs failed to score, stranding two on base, to keep the game tied.
 
SMSU opened the game two scoring in the second inning with Nathan Wheeler driving home a run with a sac fly before Levi Lampert and Latendresse each hit RBI singles.
 
WSU scored two runs off SMSU starting pitcher Carter Petron in the second and then took the lead in the third behind a two-run home run by Fuecker.
 
Petron settled in and pitched solid to allow the Mustang offense to rally back and take the lead. Carter Lang delivered a two-out, two-run single in the fifth to plate Latendresse and Evan Behn and put SMSU in front 5-4. The lead grew in the sixth as Caleb Gardow, Brock Woitalla and Latendresse singled to load the bases with one. Cory Bantam hit a sac fly to score the first run of the frame, while Lang was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 7-4.
 
Petron held WSU scoreless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before the first two batters reached via a double and hit by pitch to open the seventh. Following two strikeouts, Jensen entered the game and Fuecker started the comeback with a two-run double.
 
SMSU left 14 runners on base in the game while finishing with 10 hits. Gardow, Lang and Latendresse each had two hits in the nightcap with Lang closing with three RBIs.
 
Petron pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts, one walk and one hit by pitch. Jensen (3-1) allowed two runs on four hits with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.
 
Fuecker led the Warriors with three this and five RBIs.
 
In game one, WSU blew the game open in the second inning collecting seven runs on seven hits off SMSU starter Ryan Chmielewski.  
 
SMSU cut into the deficit in the third behind a two-run homer from Latendresse and an RBI single by Lang.
 
WSU added a single run in the third and three more in the fifth to push the lead to 11-3. The Mustangs scored four runs in the sixth with Woitalla and Lampert delivering run-scoring base hits. Latendresse brought home a run with a sac fly, while the fourth run crossed the plate on an RBI single by Behn.
 
Woitalla finished 3 for 3 with two runs scored to pace the Mustangs, while Lang added two hits.
 
Chmielewski (4-2) pitched two innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits. Jerod Cyrus struck out three in 2 2/3 innings of relief, while allowing three runs on three hits. Zach Hoehn gave up one run in 1/3 of an inning with Logan Bullock tossing a scoreless sixth inning.