Photo courtesy of Tristen Groff SMSU’s John Bezdicek delivers a pitch during their game against the University of Minnesota Duluth on Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Mustangs defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 in Game 1 before falling 7-0 in Game 2.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Southwest Minnesota State baseball team earned its first win of the season on Thursday morning with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Minnesota Duluth in game one of a non-conference doubleheader inside U.S. Bank Stadium. UMD took advantage of 10 walks in game two to salvage a split with a 7-0 victory.

Kip Gronholz smacked an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for the game-winning hit in the opener. Trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Derek Smith started the comeback with a lead-off single. Christopher Berg then drilled a double down the right field line to put runners in scoring position. Nathan Kuhn stepped to the plate and tied the game with a sac fly, before Gronholz laced a 0-1 pitch up the middle for the game-winner.

SMSU (1-3) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a run-scoring, two-out single by Matt Bezdicek. Gronholz started the rally with a single and later stole second with two outs before Bezdicek came through with the clutch single to left field.

UMD (1-1) scored two runs (one unearned) in the seventh off of Teddy Broxterman to take a brief lead. Jared Tschetter struck out the lone batter he faced to earn the victory.

SMSU starter John Bezdicek was outstanding as he tied a career-high with 14 strikeouts in six innings and allowed just four hits. He did not have a three-ball count in the game and finished his outing throwing 88 pitches with 66 for strikes.

Gronholz finished the game 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI, while Smith finished with a pair of hits.

In game two, UMD took advantage of six walks in the first three innings to build an early three-run advantage. The Bulldogs scored a run in the second and then added two runs in the home half of the third on just one hit, but four walks, including two with the bases loaded, extended the lead to 3-0 after three innings.

UMD then pushed across four runs on just one hit in the fifth inning to put the game away.

Jake Wensmann (0-2) suffered the loss for SMSU tossing 2 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on three hits with five walks.

SMSU was limited to two hits with Ben Heichel and Kuhn each collecting one hit.

Southwest Minnesota State continues non-conference play next Thursday, March 5, versus Concordia-St. Paul with the first of seven games in Tucson, Ariz.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications