DULUTH – The University of Minnesota Duluth rallied from an early 5-2 deficit and held on to defeat Southwest Minnesota State, 6-5, to complete a doubleheader sweep in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball at Wade Stadium on Thursday. UMD scored four runs in the first two innings of game one to earn a 5-1 victory.

It was another close loss for the Mustangs, which drop to 11-20 overall, 9-19 NSIC. SMSU has lost 10 one-run games on the season, including nine in league play.

In game two, UMD built a 2-0 lead behind a two-run home run in the first inning. SMSU quickly answered with a four-run second inning. Matt Bezdicek started the inning with a walk and was followed by a Derek Smith single. Both runners moved up on a double steal before Chase McDaniel hit a sac fly to score the team’s first run. Hunter Krommenhoek tied the game with an RBI single, while Nathan Kuhn put SMSU in the lead with a two-out, two-run single to make the score 4-2.

SMSU added a run in the third with Kip Gronholz hitting a sac fly to score Bezdicek and push the lead to 5-2.

The Mustang bats would go silent the rest of the way as the Bulldog pitching staff limited SMSU to just two hits in the final six innings.

UMD (12-20, 9-17 NSIC) would cut the lead to 5-3 with a run in the third and then tied the game at 5-5 with two runs on two hits in the fourth. The Bulldogs pushed across the eventual game-winning run with a sac fly in the fifth inning.

Ansen Dulas started on the mound for the Mustangs and allowed five runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings. Hayden Molva (0-2) suffered the loss allowing a run in 1 2/3. Shawn Williams pitched a shutout sixth inning, while Kobe Lovell tossed two scoreless frames with a pair of strikeouts.

Kuhn paced SMSU’s seven-hit offense with two hits and two RBIs.

In game one, UMD jumped on the board early scoring a pair of runs on two hits in the first inning and then added two more in the second on a two-run home run.

The Bulldogs added to the lead in the fourth taking advantage of two walks and a two-out run-scoring single to extend the margin to 5-0.

SMSU scored its lone run of the game in the sixth as Derek Smith doubled, advanced to third on a Chase McDaniel single, before scoring on a sac fly from Gronholz.

The Mustangs finished game one with seven hits as Brodie Smith and McDaniel each closed with a pair of hits.

Kolby Kiser (0-1), making his first appearance since April 3, started, and lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Jeremiah Van De Steeg worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth and finished the game tossing 2 1/3 shutout innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout.

Southwest Minnesota State returns home to Legion Field this Saturday and Sunday with a three-game series versus the University of Mary. Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 1:30 p.m. with Sunday’s ‘Senior Day’ game starting at 12 p.m.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications