Down 4-0 through five innings, the Southwest Minnesota State baseball team scored five runs in the final two innings to come away with a 5-4 win over Concordia-St. Paul in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader Saturday in St. Paul.
The Mustangs (6-4 NSIC, 16-9 overall) completed the sweep in Game 2, using a six-run first inning on the way to a 15-4 victory. The Golden Bears drop to 8-6 in the NSIC, 16-10 overall.
Down 4-0 in the top of the sixth in Game 1, SMSU got two unearned runs across the plate to close the gap to two.
In the seventh inning, Chris Eichten led off with a single and later scored on an RBI pinch-hit double by Tyler Flattum. With two runners on base and with one out, Jordon Kontz tied the game on a bunt. While Kontz was in a rundown, Ben Korger crossed home plate to score the game-winning run.
Looking to close out the game and with a runner on second, Mustangs pitcher Dylan Shoemaker picked the runner off at second and forced a groundout for the save. Alex Alvarez got the win in relief, pitching 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts.
On offense, Kontz had three of SMSU's six hits in the Game 1 win. Korger crossed the plate twice, and Flattum got the team's lone extra-base hit.
In Game 2, the Mustangs got the hit parade started early, bringing home six runs on seven hits. Korger opened the game with a double, and Kontz followed with a single. Then, Brian Ness came to the plate and drilled a three-run home run for the 3-0 advantage. Eichten and Mark Hanson each had RBI singles, and the sixth run was scored on a fielder's choice.
Concordia-St. Paul cut the gap to 6-2 in the bottom of the first before Kontz belted a two-run double in the third. SMSU continued the blowout with five runs in the top of the fourth, eventually winning the game on the 10-run rule.
Kontz and Ness each finished with four RBIs, while Kontz and Eichten each had three hits to complete the twinbill sweep.
The Mustangs will make their home debut on Wednesday, hosting Augustana for a NSIC doubleheader.
Game 1
SMSU000 002 3-5 6 0
CSP400 000 0-4 6 2
SMSU-Bryce Rippentrop, Alex Alvarez (2), Dylan Shoemaker (7). CSP-Ben Lemke, Chris Peterson (2); Griff Kilber (7). WP-Alvarez. LP-Peterson. S-Shoemaker. 2B: SMSU-Tyler Flattum; CSP-Greg Larpenter. LOB: SMSU-4; CSP-6.
SMSU602 500 2-15 18 1
CSP201 001 0-4 7 1
SMSU-Jeremy Schmidt, Landon Gacke (7); CSP-Zach Goodwin, Nicho Roessler (2), Nate Reagles (4); Adam Fredericks (7). WP-Schmidt. LP-Goodwin. HR: SMSU-Brian Ness; CSP-Bryan Lippincott. 3B: SMSU-Jordon Kontz. 2B: SMSU-Ben Korger, Kontz, Jon Ellis, Tyler Flattum, Mark Hanson; CSP-Mick Sawinski, Drew Turk, David Hines. LOB: SMSU-7; CSP-5.