MARSHALL — Winona State snapped a 7-7 tie with two runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 9-7 victory over Southwest Minnesota State and complete a three-game sweep in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference college baseball on Monday afternoon at Legion Field.

WSU, which defeated SMSU twice on Sunday by identical scores of 2-1, rallied on Monday scoring single runs in the sixth and eighth inning to tie the game, before pushing across the eventual game-winning run in the ninth.

The Warriors improve to 13-10 overall, 10-8 NSIC, while SMSU suffered its fifth straight loss and drops to 7-12 overall, 5-11 NSIC. The Mustangs have lost six one-run games and a pair of two-run games this season.

WSU grabbed a 1-0 lead with a run in the third, but SMSU rallied to take the lead with a big two-out rally in the home half of the inning. Brodie Smith smacked a two-out double and scored on a single by Nathan Kuhn. Following a base hit by Jake Hendricks, Matt Bezdicek blasted a three-run homer over the right field fence to give the Mustangs a 4-1 advantage.

The Warriors answered back with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to trim the deficit to 4-3, but the Mustangs countered with a run in the bottom half of the frame. Chase McDaniel reached base via an error and moved to third on a double by Max Kalenburg. Kuhn would later coax a bases load walk to make the score 5-3. SMSU had a chance to add to the lead later in the inning loading the bases loaded with one out but a fly out and strikeout ended the rally and kept WSU in the game.

WSU once again had an answer in the top of the fifth using a walk, a double and another walk to load the bases. WSU’s Derek Baumgartner stepped to the plate and hit a triple to the fence to give the Warriors an apparent 6-5 lead, but SMSU appealed that the last WSU runner to score missed third base and the umpire agreed keeping the score tied at 5-5. With a runner at third, SMSU’s Sam Nascak kept the game tied recording a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

SMSU regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with another two-out rally. McDaniel worked a full-count walk and was followed by a two-run home run by Max Kalenburg to put SMSU in the lead at 7-5. It was the first career home run for Kalenburg.

WSU worked back into the game putting up single runs in the sixth and eighth innings to tie the game at 7-7.

In the ninth, WSU used a lead-off walk, a one-out single and another walk to load the bases, before Sam Kohnle drilled a run-scoring single to snap the tie. Tanner Williams would follow with a sac fly and extend the lead to 9-7.

The final runs were enough for WSU closer Nicolas Herold as he struck out five of the seven batters in the final two innings to earn the win.

The Mustangs closed the game with nine hits as Kalenburg and Matt Bezdicek finished with two hits apiece. Bezdicek finished with three RBIs, while Kalenburg and Kuhn each drove in a pair of runs.

Teddy Broxterman made his second career start on the mound for the Mustangs and tossed 3 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, three runs (two earned) with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. SMSU used five relievers as Nascak pitched two innings and gave up three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Spencer Schroeder tossed 1 1/3 shutout innings, while Kobe Lovell pitched one inning and allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Shawn Williams (0-3) suffered the loss, while Jared Tschetter recorded the final three outs.

Southwest Minnesota State continues home action on Wednesday facing the University of Sioux Falls in a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m. at Legion Field.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications