BRANDON, S.D. -- The Southwest Minnesota State baseball team earned a sweep over Minnesota Crookston on Sunday afternoon at Aspen Park earning a 9-6 victory in game one, while completing the sweep with Josh Berreth belting a two-out, two-run walk-off home run in the night cap to give SMSU a 7-5 victory.
 
The first game was a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game, while game two was a non-conference battle. SMSU is now 2-2 overall, 1-2 NSIC, while UMC is 3-4 overall, 2-1 NSIC.
 
In game one, Connor Davis drilled a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to give SMSU a 7-6 lead. It was his second home run of the game. The Mustangs would add another run in the frame and one more in the eighth to earn the 9-6 victory. SMSU held a 5-0 lead after three innings before UMC rallied and eventually took the lead with a two-run seventh.
 
Cody Wichmann started on the mound for SMSU and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts in six innings. Dylan Webb (1-0) earned the victory firing three innings of relief and allowing one earned run.
 
SMSU opened the scoring with a four-run second inning behind four hits. Evan Behn opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a base hit by Tyler Froland. Lane Moline pushed across the first run with an RBI single to right field. Levi Lampert smacked a clutch two-out, two-run single to make the score 3-0 before SMSU executed a double steal with Brock Woitalla sliding across home to push the lead to 4-0.
 
Davis extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth with a leadoff home run over the left-center field fence.
 
UMC rallied with a run in the fourth and used a three-run homer in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4. The Golden Eagles would take the lead in the seventh scoring two runs, one unearned, on three hits to make the score 6-5.
 
The lead did not last long as Lampert opened the home half of the seventh with an infield single and following a ground out, Davis drilled a line drive home run over the left field fence to put SMSU back in front at 7-6. With two outs, Carter Lang kept the inning alive with a double and Froland came through moments later with a big two-out run-scoring single to score pinch runner Berreth from second base and give SMSU a two-run lead at 8-6.
 
Webb worked a scoreless eighth inning before SMSU added a big insurance run with Henry Hammrich belting a triple to right field and scoring two batters later on a sac fly from Jared Cortez to make the score 9-6.
 
Webb closed out the game with another scoreless frame to secure SMSU's first win of the season. Webb allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits in three innings with one strikeout and one hit by pitch.
 
Wichmann fired six innings and allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks and the career-high seven strikeouts.
 
SMSU held a 13-12 hit advantage with Moline, Froland, Lampert, Behn and Davis each collecting two hits. Davis closed with three RBIs and scored a pair of runs.
 
In game two, a game scheduled for seven innings, SMSU trailed 3-0 before scoring three runs with two outs in the fifth inning to tie the game. With one out, Lampert was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a wild pitch and ground out. Lampert scored SMSU's first run, sprinting home on a wild pitch. Behn and Tanner Rezny kept the inning going with back-to-back singles before Nathan Wheeler walked to load the bases. Berreth tied the game moments later with a big two-run single making the score 3-3.
 
The game remained tied until UMC scored two runs in the ninth, using a single, a hit by pitch, two walks and two wild pitches to take a 5-3 advantage.
 
SMSU would not quit and rallied back for the dramatic victory. Lampert walked to open the rally and bumped to second on a single by Davis. Following a sac bunt by Behn, the score would move to 5-4 behind a sac fly by Rezny. Wheeler came through in a big way, falling behind 0-2 in the count before eventually drilling an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5. Moments later, Berreth stepped to the plate and belted the game-winning two-run blast over the right-center field fence.
 
Berreth finished the nightcap 2 for 4 with four RBIs, while Davis collected a pair of hits.
 
Tyler Nesheim started and tossed 3 2/3 innings allowing three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
 
Carson Bougher was outstanding in relief, retiring the first 11 batters he faced and closed firing four shutout innings with four strikeouts and one walk. Ryan Dalager (1-0) picked up his first career victory pitching the final 1 1/3 innings.
 
SMSU is scheduled to return to action on Feb. 22-23 with a four-game series versus Minot State in Lincoln, Neb.

 

YES HE DID!!!! WALK OFF JOSH BERRETH!!! SMSU wins 7-5. pic.twitter.com/ISWXkFYGvM

— SMSU Baseball (@SMSUBaseball) February 15, 2026