SMSU took time to honor its large group of seniors on Sunday as their time sporting the Mustangs’ uniforms near an end. This season’s graduating group includes Henry Hammrich, Lampert, Brock Woitalla, Jacob Merrill, Luke Ruter, Cody Dahlager, Carter Lang, Tyler Froland, Zach Hoehn, Evan Behn, Logan Bullock, Vinny Mauro and Charlie Jacobson.

“It’s a big day for the seniors. Obviously, there’s 13 of us. A lot of them I just met last year with transferring and coming here,” Lampert said. “But, there’s so many other transfer seniors, and being able to play with these guys over the past two years, it’s nothing to take for granted.”

The first game of the series on Sunday was a pitcher’s dual down to the final inning. Quinn had a strong performance and pitched a complete game one-hitter, throwing five strikeouts while allowing three walks. Quinn’s lone allowed hit came in the top of the seventh, after tossing six frames of a no-hitter.

Lampert also made it a memorable senior day with his homer in the bottom of the fourth inning in the second game. He currently leads the Mustangs in runs scored (50), homeruns (7) and on-base percentage (.500).

Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University's Henry Hammrich throws the ball in from center field after fielding the ball in the second game of a three-game series against University of Jamestown on Sunday in Marshall.

“Ever since I have been here, these guys have been just great people to everybody,” Lampert said. “Every day that you go to practice, everyone wants to [work hard], everyone is having fun. We got a great group of guys here.”

SMSU has seven regular season games remaining, and currently sit 13th in the NSIC standings out of the 15 teams. The conference’s top eight teams get into the postseason tournament.

“We just need to stay together,” Lampert said regarding the team moving into the final regular-season stretch. “It’s so easy just to pack up the bags and be like, ‘Worry about next year.’ But, we got 40-some guys that still want to be here, still have energy every day, so [we’re] never taking a moment for granted now.”

The Mustangs (18-23, 8-21 NSIC) will return to the field on Wednesday at Wayne State (23-20, 15-15 NSIC) for a doubleheader, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

GAME 1

Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University's Jared Cortez fields a ground ball and throws to first base in the second game of a three-game series against University of Jamestown on Sunday in Marshall.

UJ 1, SMSU 0 (7 inn.)

Matching Jameson’s impressive performance on the mound in the first game, Jamestown’s Payton Hochhalter did much of the same. Hochhalter alwo tossed the complete game, allowing two hits and two walks while retiring seven batters.

“He [Quinn] did lights out today. I mean, he couldn’t have done any better,” Lampert said. “As for the hitters, we have to get hits and score runs, but he did all he [could] today to just give us a chance, and we can’t ask something more from him.”

Following a competitive battle through the first six innings seeing no runs, the Jimmes eventually scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh with an RBI single. Jett Nelson scored the run, after reaching base on a hit by pitch, and Trayson Kostial hit the RBI.

With SMSU needing to also bring in a run to force extra innings in its final plate appearance, UJ hung on for the win behind two strikeouts and an infield ground-out.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University's Levi Lampert catches the ball at first base for an out in the second game of a three-game series against University of Jamestown on Sunday in Marshall.

GAME 2

SMSU 8, UJ 7 (9 inn.)

Once again seeing a neck-and-neck battle in the second game, Lampert’s three-run homerun gave the Mustangs some life and a 6-3 lead in the fourth. He also ran in Lane Moline and Woitalla, as Moline first reached base on a walk and Woitalla hit a single to center field.

“[The homerun] felt good, but none of this happens without teammates relaying what pitches are, how he’s sequencing, and how they’re pitching the other guys in the dugout. So, mainly that happens because of teammates,” Lampert said.

Jared Cortez also scored following the homer to build a four-run lead, scoring from third base on a throwing error by the Jimmies with the catcher attempting to throw down to second to tag-out Connor Davis on the steal.

Photo by Samantha Davis: The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team celebrates Levi Lampert's (7) home run in the second game of a three-game series against University of Jamestown on Sunday in Marshall.

SMSU scored its first two runs in the first inning behind runs from Lampert and Josh Berreth. Carter Lang hit an RBI single to score Berreth, while Lampert ran in on a UJ fielding error.

Lang also had a big hit when SMSU needed it after Jamestown cut into a 7-5 deficit in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single up the third base line to left field to score Davis. Davis initially had a hard double to right-center field to reach base.

The Jimmies still stayed in the fight, and brought the score back down to one run in the top of the eighth with a pair of runs for an 8-7 deficit.

Following the two runs on a wild pitch and RBI single, Ishe made the pitching change to Ryan Dalager with one out. Jamestown had the potential game-tying runner stationed at third base, but Dalager stepped up big and SMSU got the final two outs with a pair infield fly-ball catches.

SMSU went scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, and Dalager again held off the Jimmies in their final plate appearance in the top of the ninth to hang on to the win and even the series.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University's Brock Woitalla runs to third base following a base hit in the second game of a three-game series against University of Jamestown on Sunday in Marshall.

“There have been so many games where it’s just one or two-run games. We haven’t come out on top for many of them, but this one feels good,” Lampert said.

Lampert led the Mustangs at the plate, going 2 of 4 with two runs and three RBIs. Lang also went 3 of 5, sharing a team-high trio of RBIs.

Pitching-wise, Tyler Nesheim had the start through the first 4 2/3 innings, finishing his time with three strikeouts, two walks, four earned runs and seven hits. Lincoln Vasgaard was charged with the win, relieving Nesheim for 2 2/3 innings, tossing five strikeouts along with three walks, two hits and two earned runs.

Dalager had the save from there, retiring two batters with two allowed hits.

GAME 3

SMSU 10, UJ 0 (7 inn.)

The Mustangs were in control of the final game of the series Monday afternoon, cruising to a shutout win.

Along with Wichmann’s efficient performance on the mound, Davis helped to give SMSU an early 4-0 lead with a three-run RBI double in the third inning. He cleared the bases to run in Lampert, Cortez and Moline.

Moline and Cortez were both hit by pitches, and Lampert reached base on a fielding error. Davis also then scored home in the next at-bat when Lang also reached base on a Jimmies’ throwing error.

SMSU tacked onto its lead with another three runs in the fourth inning to build its lead to 8-0, accounted for by Woitalla, Moline and Nathan Wheeler. Woitalla scored from a Lampert sacrifice fly, while Moline and Wheeler did the same on Cortez and Lang RBI singles, respectively.

The Mustangs hung onto their lead from there to take the series, and ended the game in mercy-rule in the seventh inning with two more runs from Hammrich and Woitalla, both of who scored on a Wheeler and Lampert RBI single, respectively.

Wichmann pitched a complete game, and along with his nine strikeouts, he allowed just three hits and three walks in his shutout.