MARSHALL, Minn. – Ryan Chmielewski tossed a seven-inning complete game with six strikeouts and no walks to lead Southwest Minnesota State to a 7-2 victory over the University of Mary in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday at Legion Field. UMary belted four home runs in game two and held off a late SMSU charge to earn a 12-9 victory in game two.
 
The teams will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday starting at 12 p.m. SMSU is 23-18 overall, 18-16 NSIC, while UMary is 21-22, 17-17 NSIC.
 
Chmielewski (5-2), pitching in his final home game, allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits in tossing his third complete game of the season.
 
SMSU opened the scoring in game one with a big four-run third inning. Brock Woitalla opened the inning with a hit by pitch before moving to third on a double by Caleb Gardow. Henry Hammrich drove in the first run with a sac fly before Cory Bantam delivered a big two-out run-scoring base hit to plate Gardow, while on the play a misplay in left field allowed another run to score. Jared Cortez capped the scoring with an RBI single to push the lead to 4-0.
 
Chmielewski held UMary to just one hit through five innings before the Marauders broke through with a three-hit sixth to plate one run and cut the deficit to 4-1.
 
SMSU added three big insurance runs in the sixth to build a 7-1 lead. Carter Lang started the rally with a double and scored on a fielding error by the UMary second baseman. Levi Lampert added a sac fly while Owen Latendresse closed the scoring with an RBI single to score Gardow.
 
UMary added an unearned run in the seventh for the final run of the contest.
 
Lang led SMSU's seven-hit offense with two hits, while Latendresse, Bantam, Cortez, Gardow and Hammrich each had one hit.
 
Hank Griffin led the Marauders with two hits.
 
In game two, SMSU started strong in the first inning with Lampert drilling a leadoff double with Latendresse following with a single. A wild pitch put two runners in scoring position before Bantam plated Lampert with a sac fly to score the first run of the game.
 
UMary answered in the top of the second off SMSU starting pitcher Carter Petron, with Bryce Leafgren drilling a two-run home run.
 
SMSU stranded two runners on base in the second and UMary responded in a big way in the top of the third scoring six runs on four hits and one SMSU error. Leafgren delivered the big blow with a three-run home run.
 
SMSU pushed across a run in the bottom of the third with Latendresse hitting a leadoff triple. The three-bagger was the 12^th in his career setting a new program record. Latendresse held the record with Mark Lickfelt (1995-98) for much of the season. Bantam scored Latendresse with a sac fly to make the score 8-2.
 
SMSU pulled to within 8-5 in the fifth scoring three unearned runs, but UMary came right back using the long-ball in the sixth to open another big lead. Isaac Pegors started the scoring with a solo home run, while Krece Papierski drilled a two-run homer before Kieran Gaffney hammered a solo homer to push the margin to 12-5.
 
SMSU would not go away scoring a run with Hammrich scoring on a wild pitch in the sixth, before Tyler Froland drilled a pinch-hit home run in the seventh to cut the lead to 12-7.
 
SMSU put together another scoring frame in the eighth with Bantam connecting on a two-run double to score Lampert and Latendresse. The Mustangs had the tying run at the plate, but a strikeout ended the threat.
 
SMSU was retired in the order in the ninth with UMary's Sam Hayen recording the save.
 
The Mustangs out-hit the Marauders, 12-11, with Latendresse finishing 4 for 5 with two runs scored. Bantam drove in four runs, while Lampert and Latendresse each scored two runs.
 
Petron (4-4) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk. SMSU used six relief pitchers in the game.
 
Leafgren paced the Marauders with the two home runs and five RBIs.