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FAYETTE, Iowa - Upper Iowa University rallied from a 6-0 deficit, scoring seven unanswered runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth on a throwing error, to defeat Southwest Minnesota State University 7-6 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball on Sunday at Robertson Woods Field.
The victory earns a series win for UIU, which took two of three from SMSU in the conference opening series for both squads. SMSU, which won the series opener on Saturday, held a 4-0 lead in game two yesterday and the six-run lead today, but the Peacocks rallied back both times to secure the wins.
The Mustang offense was held in check as nine Peacock pitchers combined to record 11 strikeouts and limit SMSU to just five hits.
SMSU took a 1-0 lead in the second as Matt Bezdicek was hit by a pitch to start the inning and later scored on a ground out by Derek Smith. In the fifth, Brodie Smith was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single by Nathan Kuhn. In the ensuing at bat, Jake Hendricks struck out but on the throw to first base to record the strikeout, Smith sprinted home and just beat the tag to make the score 2-0.
SMSU took advantage of wild UIU pitching a pair of errors in the sixth to score four runs on just one hit. Derek Smith and Jaxon Haase walked to open the inning and both moved up one base following a sac bunt by Andy Andresen. Brodie Smith then followed with a two-run single to make the score 4-0. Smith would later move to third on a wild pitch and eventually score as Kuhn reached on a fielding error. Kuhn would advance to second on a wild pitch and then score on a failed pick-off attempt to extend the margin to 6-0.
SMSU was in control as starting pitcher Kolby Kiser tossed three shutout innings allowing just one hit with three strikeouts. John Bezdicek came on in relief in the fourth and struck out five of the first six batters he faced. UIU would finally breakthrough in the sixth scoring an unearned run to cut the lead to 6-1.
SMSU failed to add to the lead in the seventh, leaving a pair of runners on base, and UIU would counter with a two-run homer to cut the deficit in half at 6-3.
In the eighth, SMSU failed to add to the lead and stranded two more runners to keep UIU in the game. With two outs in the eighth, UIU's Samuel Grushkin tied the game at 6-6 with a three-run homer off Bezdicek.
SMSU failed to score in the ninth and UIU continued the comeback to earn the walk-off win. Jared Tschetter (0-1), who recorded the final out of the eighth, walked Ryan Hull to lead-off the ninth and Hull following stealing second. Tschetter retired the next two batters via strikeout and pop out but Hull would come across the plate moments as he sprinted to third on a pitch in the dirt and on the throw attempt to third the ball bounced away from the third baseman and Hull ran home for the winning run.
John Bezdicek, who didn't start in the series as he battled an illness, had seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings and allowed six hits and six runs (five earned).
Kuhn finished the day 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, while Brodie Smith scored twice and drove in two runs.
Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on Wednesday with a conference doubleheader at Augustana starting at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday
SMSU 7, Upper Iowa 4
(7 innings)
Upper Iowa 5, SMSU 4
FAYETTE, Iowa - The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team opened Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Saturday afternoon splitting a doubleheader with Upper Iowa winning the opener 7-4, before UIU rallied from a 4-0 deficit to earn a 5-4 victory in game two.
In game one, SMSU started the game strong in the first inning as Nathan Kuhn ripped a one-out double and was followed by a two-run opposite field home run by Jake Hendricks.
SMSU moved the score to 3-0 in the third as Kuhn walked to start the frame and later scored as Matt Bezdicek reached on an error by the UIU shortstop.
The Mustangs added to the lead in the fourth as Jaxon Haase doubled to start the inning and Andy Andresen followed with a walk moments later. With two outs, Bezdicek came through with a clutch two-run double down the left field line to make the score 5-0.
UIU scored its first run of the game in the home half of the fourth, but SMSU answered in the fifth with a two-out rally. Andresen walked with two out and Brodie Smith followed with a single before Kuhn came through with a run-scoring single to make the score 6-1.
The Peacocks pushed across two runs in the fifth to trim the deficit to 6-3, but once again the Mustangs had an answered as Bezdicek hit a lead-off homer in the sixth--his second long ball of the season--to give his squad a 7-3 advantage.
UIU scored again in the sixth to make the score 7-4 and put together a big rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh, but the SMSU bullpen came through. UIU loaded the bases with one out, but Jared Tschetter came on closed the game with a strikeout and ground out to record the save and secure the victory.
Jake Wensmann (1-0) earned the win tossing four-plus innings, allowing three runs on four hits with one strikeout and two walks. Kobe Lovell tossed one shutout inning while Sam Nascak pitched 1 1/3 and allowed an unearned run.
SMSU out-hit UIU 10-8 in the opener with Bezdicek finishing 2 for 4 with career-high four RBIs. Kuhn, Hendricks and Haase each finished with two hits with Kuhn and Andresen both crossing the plate twice.
In game two, SMSU snapped a scoreless game in the third as Kuhn had an RBI double to score Haase, who walked to start the inning.
SMSU took advantage of two UIU errors in the fifth to score three runs on just one hit and build a 4-0 advantage. Kuhn reached on a throwing error by the third baseman to score Derek Smith, before Hendricks came through with a two-run single to score Brodie Smith and Haase.
UIU had a big answer in the home half of the fifth taking advantage of two walks and two-out, two-run bloop double to score four runs and tie the game.
SMSU had a great chance to regain the lead in the sixth as Kip Gronholz singled and moved to third as Chase McDaniel laid down a sac bunt and reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. But UIU escaped the jam with a ground out, a strikeout and another ground out to keep the game tied.
The game remained tied until the seventh when the Peacocks used a lead-off walk, a sac bunt and a passed ball to put a runner at third with one out. Jake Hilmer then lofted a sac-fly to score the run and give UIU its first lead of the day at 5-4.
SMSU once again threatened in the eighth as Bezdicek started the frame with a walk and eventually reached third base with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts closed the inning with UIU maintain the 5-4 edge.
The Mustangs had a one-out walk in the ninth, but a pair of fly outs ended the comeback attempt.
SMSU was held to just five hits in the game with Gronholz finishing with two hits, while Kuhn, Hendricks and McDaniel each had one.
Jeremiah Van De Steeg started on the mound for SMSU and lasted 4 2/3 inning and recorded six strikeouts, but allowed four hits, three walks and four runs. Teddy Broxterman (0-1) fired the final 3 1/3 innings and suffered the loss allowing three hits and one unearned run with a pair of strikeouts.
-- Content courtesy
of SMSU Athletic
Communications