Fayette, Iowa: Upper Iowa Universitys Nate Mendoza belted a lead off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 2-2 tie and help lead UIU to a 3-2 victory over Southwest Minnesota State University in game two of a non-conference doubleheader on Friday in Fayette, Iowa.
SMSU won the opener 3-1 behind the pitching of senior Tom Bendzick (Fairbault, Minn.) and sophomore Arron Olson (Bloomington, Minn.).
In the opener, SMSU jumped out to a lead in the top of the second inning as senior Colby Pack (Lamberton, Minn.) drilled his team-leading seventh home run of the season and his 36th of his career to give SMSU a 1-0 lead. Upper Iowa, which finished with just five hits in the game, put together a rally in the second inning with three hits and tied the game at 1-1.
The score remained tied until the sixth when SMSU put together the game-winning rally.
Freshman Greg Laughlin (Eden Prairie, Minn.) lead off the inning with a single and moved to second base on a sac bunt by junior Ryan Norman (Spirit Lake, Iowa). After Pack was intentionally walked, junior Nathan Koppi (West St. Paul, Minn.) looped what looked to be a single to left field, but Laughlin, to sure if the ball would drop got a late start to third base and was forced out for the second out of the inning. Sophomore Lex Reinke (Shoreview, Minn.) though answered with a clutch two-out single to score Pack and snap the tie. Junior Bryan Nikkel (Grand Rapids, Minn.) then followed with another single to score Koppi and push the lead to 3-1.
Upper Iowa put together a small rally in the bottom of the seventh as Bendzick walked the lead off hitter to bring the tying run to the plate. Olson then came into the game and faced just two batters as he struck out the first batter he faced and then coaxed a 4-6-3 double play to earn his third save of the season.
Bendzick improved to 3-3 on the season as he pitched six-plus innings, giving up five hits, one run, while striking out three and walking just one batter.
Laughlin led the SMSU offense with going 2 for 3 with a walk while Pack was 1 for 2 with two runs scored and one RBI. Southwest finished the game with seven hits, while Upper Iowa ended the game with five hits.
In game two, a young Mustang line-up battle until the game-winning UIU hit in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Peacocks struck first in the bottom of the second inning scoring an unearned run via a single, a passed ball, a fly out and a sacrifice fly.
The Mustangs came right back and tied the game in the top of the third as Reinke drilled a two-out triple to score Pack from first base.
Upper Iowa though regained the lead in the fourth inning as Jamie Terres hit a two-out single to plate the go-ahead run.
SMSU once again responded in the fifth inking with the tying run and nearly took the lead. With one out, Norman singled and stole second base. Pack then scored Norman with a single through the left side to tie the game at 2-2. Koppi then followed with a single to put runners on first and second base. During the next at bat though, Pack was thrown out trying to steal on a missed hit and run attempt. Junior Eric Eveslage (Melrose, Minn.) then walked to put runners back on first and second base, but freshman Jake Munsch (Alexandria, Minn.) struck out to end the threat.
Mendoza then put UIU up for good with his lead off home run off of SMSU starting pitcher John Goneau (White Bear Lake, Minn.), who dropped his record to 4-2 on the season, tossing 6.1 innings, giving up five hits, three runs, two earned runs, while walking two and striking out five.
SMSU finished the game with eight hits, with Pack leading the way going 2 for 4 with an RBI and one run scored.
Southwest Minnesota State is now 12-21 overall, while Upper Iowa with the twinbill split is 21-16 overall. The two teams conclude the four-game series on Saturday afternoon with a 12 p.m. doubleheader in Fayette, Iowa. Upper Iowa will join the Northern Sun Conference next season.
