TUCSON, Ariz. – Southwest Minnesota State got back in the win column on Monday morning cracking out a season-high 23 hits in earning a 16-9 non-conference victory over Bemidji State in college baseball at the Kino Sports Complex.

SMSU improves to 5-5 on the season and had eight different batters record multi-hit games. Nathan Kuhn finished with a career-high four hits for the Mustangs, while Jake Hendricks had three hits, including a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five RBIs. Andy Andresen and Derek Smith both finished with three hits, while Ben Heichel, Brady Lanoue, Trent Fredenburg and Christopher Berg each collected two hits. Heichel also added three RBIs on the day.

BSU jumped to an early lead with a pair of first inning runs on two hits and a pair of SMSU errors.

SMSU used a big second inning to take its first lead of the day. Fredenburg started the rally with a solo homer over the left field wall. Kip Gronholz followed with a walk and moved to third on a double by Smith. A wild pitch scored Gronholz and Smith came around to score on a single by Hendricks to make the score 3-2. Lanoue made it 4-2 with an RBI fielder’s choice before Matt Bezdicek ripped an RBI double to push the lead to 5-2.

BSU rallied back to regain the lead in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs on three hits and three walks to build a 6-5 advantage.

BSU didn’t hold the lead for long as Andy Andresen and Nathan Kuhn started the home half of the fourth with singles. Heichel then stepped to the plate and laced a two-run double to centerfield and give SMSU the lead. Heichel would later score on a two-out fielding error to make the score 8-6 after four innings.

SMSU added to the lead in the fifth as Derek Smith started the rally with a double and would later score on single by Kuhn. Heichel added a sac fly later in the inning to give the Mustangs a 10-6 lead.

The Beavers scored a run in the sixth, but the Mustangs had an answer in the bottom half as Hendricks hit a two-out RBI single to score Fredenburg and give SMSU back a four-run lead at 11-7.

BSU wouldn’t go away and cut the deficit in half with a pair of runs in the seventh and left the bases loaded as SMSU relief pitcher Shawn Williams coaxed a ground out to end the inning.

SMSU put the game away in the bottom of the seventh as Gronholz had an RBI single and Smith ripped a run-scoring single. Hendricks then stepped to the plate and drilled a three-run homer over the centerfield fence to extend the lead to 16-9.

Wes Sarland picked up the win in relief, tossing 1 2/3 shutout innings with three strikeouts. Spencer Schroeder started for SMSU and lasted 3 1/3 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits. He struck out three and walked two.

Southwest Minnesota State continues play on Tuesday with an 11 a.m. CDT match-up versus Waldorf University.

Sunday

CSP 5, SMSU 0

TUCSON, Ariz. – Southwest Minnesota State had its three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday night with a 5-0 non-conference loss to Concordia-St. Paul at the Kino Sports Complex.

CSP’s Blake Stelzer was outstanding firing eight shutout innings allowing just four hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk. He finished the game tossing 110 pitches with 82 for strikes. He has allowed just one earned run in 17 1/3 innings this season with 25 strikeouts.

CSP finished the game with eight hits, while SMSU was limited to four hits and was shutout for the second time this season. The game was tight at 1-0 in the seventh inning but the Golden Bears put the game away with four runs in their final two at bats.

SMSU had a great chance to score the game’s first run in the top of the fourth as Ben Heichel ripped a one-out single and moved to third moments later on a double by Brady Lanoue. Stelzer was able to work out of the jam with a pop out and ground out to keep the game scoreless.

CSP broke the scoreless game in the fourth using a lead-off walk, a ground out, a balk and another ground out to push across the game’s first run.

SMSU had another great chance to score in the sixth as Ian Walker singled and moved to second on a sac bunt by Nathan Kuhn. Heichel singled to left-center to put runners on the corners, but Stelzer coaxed a 6-4-3 double play to keep CSP in the lead 1-0.

CSP pushed across a single run off of two hits in the seventh to extend the lead to 2-0 and then added three more runs in the eighth.

Jake Wensmann (0-3) tossed a strong 6 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and two runs with six strikeouts and two walks.

Heichel had two hits for the Mustangs, while Lanoue and Walker each had one hit.

— Content courtesy

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