KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Southwest Minnesota State baseball team built early leads in both games, but Minot State rallied in both games, including earning a walk-off extra-inning victory in game one, to earn a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday at the Homefield Baseball Complex in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball.
 
MSU won the opener 9-8 in eight innings and then held off a late SMSU rally in game two to earn a 9-6 victory.
 
SMSU, which defeated MSU 5-1 on Monday, drops to 3-4 overall, 2-4 NSIC, while MSU moves to 3-4 overall, 2-1 NSIC.
 
In the opener, SMSU opened the scoring in the top of the first with run-scoring singles by Tyler Froland and Carter Lang. The lead moved to 4-0 in the second with Connor Davis delivering an RBI single before Evan Behn pushed across another run with a fielder's choice.
 
With the wind blowing out, MSU cut the deficit in the third with a two-run opposite field home run over the left field fence off SMSU starting pitcher Jameson Quinn to make the score 4-2.
 
SMSU picked up a run to add to the lead in the fourth with Levi Lampert drilling a home run to left field. MSU had a big answer in the home half of the fourth scoring four runs on four hits and two SMSU errors to take the lead at 6-5.
 
SMSU quickly responded to tie the game in the fifth as Tyler Froland reached on a wind-blown triple and scored moments later on a sac fly by Lang.
 
MSU regained the lead off SMSU relief pitcher Austin Dent in the fifth plating two runs on four hits and one SMSU error to build an 8-6 advantage.
 
The Mustangs would not go away and tacked on a single run in the sixth with Henry Hammrich smacking a leadoff double and later scoring on a wild pitch to make the score 8-7.
 
Dent tossed a scoreless sixth inning to give SMSU a chance to tie the game in the seventh and nearly take the lead. Jared Cortez opened the inning with a single and was followed by a walk to Froland. With one out and runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Tanner Rezny drilled a deep drive to the left-center field fence, but the runners could only advance once base to load the bases. Nathan Wheeler followed with a sac fly to score pinch runner Andrew Orf and tie the game at 8-8.
 
Dent fired another scoreless frame in the seventh to send the game into extra innings. Lampert started the extra frame with a base hit for the Mustangs, but a 6-4-3 double play and a deep fly out with a runner on ended the scoring threat.
 
MSU ended the game in the bottom of the frame with Oscar Pegg hitting an opposite field one-out home run run over the right-center field wall.
 
Dent (0-1) suffered the loss tossing four innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts. Quinn fired the first 3 1/3 innings recording three strikeouts while allowing six runs on nine hits.
 
SMSU collected 13 hits in the opener with Lampert finishing 3 for 5 with two runs scored and am RBI. Davis, Cortez and Froland each closed with two hits, while Lang added two RBIs.
 
In game two, SMSU plated three runs in the second inning to build a 3-0 advantage. Froland started with inning with a line-drive home run over the left field fence before the Mustangs added two more runs via wild pitches.
 
The lead did not last long as the Beavers countered with a four-run second and then hit a solo home run in the third to chase Mustang starting pitcher, Ryan Bell. MSU would add another run in the third off relief pitcher Tad Tjaden to build a 6-3 lead.
 
The SMSU offense was held in check during the middle innings as MSU pushed the lead to 7-3 after five, before Behn hit a home run in the sixth to trim the deficit to 7-4.
 
MSU pushed across two big insurance runs in the sixth inning to make the score 9-4.
 
SMSU attempted a rally in the seventh with Wheeler belting his first career home run to start the inning. After Hammrich was hit by a pitch, Rezny came through with a pinch-hit single before Lampert drilled a base hit to load the bases with no outs and bring the tying run to the plate. Cortez plated a run with a sac fly to score Hammrich, but one batter later, the game ended on a third to first double play. It was the fourth double play turned by MSU in the nightcap.
 
Bell (0-2) allowed five runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk in two-plus innings. Tjaden gave up one run on four hits in two innings with four strikeouts. Ryan Dalager, Dylan Webb and Lincoln Vasgaard also pitched in relief for the Mustangs.
 
The Mustang offense finished with 10 hits as Lampert paced the squad with three hits in four at bats, while Froland added two hits.
 
SMSU will now begin a stretch of 10 non-conference games starting this Friday and Saturday with a four-game series at Truman State (Mo.). It was announced on Tuesday, the series will be moved up one day due to weather. Doubleheaders both days are set to begin at 12 p.m.