Photo courtesy of Eric Zahn/USF Sports Information SMSU’s Cole Petersen winds up to deliver a pitch during their first game against the University of Sioux Falls on Tuesday. The Mustangs fell 2-1 in the opener but won the nightcap to split the doubleheader.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Southwest Minnesota State held off a late Sioux Falls comeback attempt to earn an 8-7 victory and salvage a split of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball doubleheader on Tuesday at Ronken Field on the campus of Augustana University.

USF won the opener 2-1 in 11 innings as Brent Jarvis hit a walk-off home run to lead off the final frame.

SMSU is now 7-11 overall, 2-6 NSIC, following the doubleheader split and is now 1-6 in one-run games this season.

Ben Heichel led the way for SMSU in game two finishing 3 for 4 with a career-high five RBIs, while Nathan Kuhn was 3 for 3 with three runs scored. It was Heichel’s fifth career three-hit game and the first for Kuhn.

In the opener, both teams received outstanding pitching performances as the two teams combined for just 11 hits.

SMSU opened the scoring in the top of the first as Kuhn doubled to start the game and scored two batters later on a run-scoring single by Shane Sellner.

USF (4-16, 4-6 NSIC) rallied to tie the game in the second inning taking advantage of an SMSU mistake. With runners on second and third and no outs, SMSU starting pitcher Cole Petersen recorded back-to-back strikeouts. Petersen was unable to get out of the inning unscathed as a wild pitch pushed across the tying run.

Both squads had chance to take the lead late in the game, but SMSU had the best chance in the ninth. Tanner Strommen started the frame with a pinch-hit double and was followed by a walk to Spencer Rudnik. After a failed sac bunt attempt kept runners at first and second, Matt Bezdicek walked to load the bases with one out. Liam Lopez then stepped to the plate and lined out to shortstop who then relayed to second base for a double play and end the Mustang threat.

USF let two runners on base in the ninth and one in the 10th before getting the game-winning home run.

Petersen pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing one run on three hits. He finished with eight strikeouts and two walks.

Alex Jorgensen (0-2) tossed the final 3 2/3 innings giving up one run on two hits with five strikeouts.

In the nightcap, SMSU scored at least one run in the first five innings to build an 8-5 lead. The Mustangs jumped to an early lead in the top of the first as Kuhn doubled to start the second straight and scored on an RBI single by Heichel.

SMSU made it 2-0 in the second as Heichel hit a sac fly to score Strommen. After USF cut the lead to 2-1 after two, SMSU added to the led in the third as Jayden Fleck started the inning with a bunt single and later scored on an RBI single by Derek Smith.

USF cut the lead to 3-2 after three, but again SMSU had an answer with a two-run fourth inning. A pair of walks started the rally before Heichel drove in a run with a single. Sellner would late add an infield single to score another run and push the lead to 5-2.

The Cougars countered with a three-run fourth off of Mustang starter Jeremy Stouffer to tie the game at 5-5.

The game didn’t stay tied for long as SMSU put together a big two-out rally in the fifth inning to regain the lead. With two outs and a runner on first, Spencer Franko singled to advance Bezdicek to second. Kuhn walked to load the bases before Heichel hit a two-run single and on the play the left fielder misplayed the ball allowing Kuhn to score all the way from first and give SMSU an 8-5 lead.

It stayed that way until the sixth when USF mounted its rally attempt. USF took advantage of two walks and two SMSU errors to cut the deficit to 8-7 and had the bases loaded with one out. SMSU relief pitcher Jared Tschetter kept SMSU in the lead with a strikeout and a lineout to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, a hit by pitch and two wild pitches, put the tying run on third base with no outs. USF’s Kole Lekvin hit a ground ball to short and Mustang shortstop Kuhn fired home to retire the lead runner at the plate. Following a pop out for the second out, a walk pushed the tying run to second and the winning run on first, but Tschetter closed the game with a strikeout to preserve SMSU’s first one-run victory of the season.

Josh Cook (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win for SMSU with 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief. Tschetter recorded his first career save tossing the final 1 2/3 innings.

Stouffer pitched the first 3 2/3 inning and allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits.

Both teams finished game two with 11 hits.

Southwest Minnesota State continues NSIC play this Friday and Saturday with a four-game series versus Concordia-St. Paul (13-5, 6-2 NSIC). The series was scheduled to be played in Marshall but will be relocated. An announcement will be made on Wednesday.

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