TUCSON, Ariz. – Nationally ranked St. Cloud State used a six-run fifth inning to break a 2-2 game and went on to earn an 8-4 non-conference victory over Southwest Minnesota State in college baseball on Monday morning at the Tucson Invitational held at the Kino Sports Complex.

A trio of Mustangs finished the contest with multi-hit games as Shane Sellner, Nathan Kuhn and Matt Bezdicek each collected two hits apiece to help SMSU’s nine-hit attack.

SMSU (1-3) opened the scoring in the second inning as Tanner Strommen walked and moved to second on a single by Kuhn. Bezdicek singled to left to score Strommen and on the play a fielding error by the SCSU left fielder allowed Kuhn to race all the way from first base to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead. SMSU had two runners on base later in the inning with no outs, but a pair of strikeouts and a fly out ended the threat.

SCSU (6-3), ranked No. 24 in last week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 25 poll, pushed across two runs off of two hits in the home half of the fourth to tie the game. With the game tied, the Huskies loaded the bases with one out to chase Mustang starter Jeremy Stouffer. Mustang pitcher Shawn Williams entered the game and coaxed a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and keep the game tied at 2.

The game didn’t stay tied for long as the Huskies pushed across six runs on seven hits in the fifth inning to build an 8-2 lead.

The SMSU offense was held in check until the ninth inning when Derek Smith singled and Jayden Fleck followed with a two-run home run, his second long-ball of the season, to cut the deficit to 8-4.

Williams (0-1) suffered the loss allowing five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. Stouffer pitched the first 3 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on four hits with three walks.

SCSU starter Zach Siggelkow picked up the victory allowing just one earned run on seven hits over six innings with six strikeouts and three walks.

Southwest Minnesota State returns to action today facing Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) starting at 4 p.m. CST.

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