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SMSU BASEBALL: Mustangs entertain nationally-ranked Minnesota State in doubleheader today

Independent file photo SMSU’s Brodie Smith follows through on a swing during their game against Concordia-St. Paul on Friday. SMSU will face MSU Mankato today in a doubleheader.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team (7-7, 5-6 NSIC) continues its homestand today facing nationally-ranked Minnesota State University (15-2, 12-1 NSIC) with a doubleheader (7-9) starting at 12 p.m. at Legion Field in Marshall.

•The series was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was moved up one day due to expected poor weather.

•MSU was ranked No. 19 in last week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Top 25 and No. 23 in last week’s Collegiate Baseball Top 25 poll.

•SMSU is coming off a home series last Friday and Saturday winning two of three from Concordia-St. Paul.

•SMSU continue home action this weekend taking on Winona State in a three-game set on Saturday and Sunday.

Game coverage

•Live video and stats for the two games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com.

About Minnesota State

•MSU, picked second in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, is currently atop the NSIC standings with a 12-1 record and are 15-2 overall.

•MSU won two of three games last weekend at St. Cloud State.

•Joey Werner leads the Mavericks batting .419 (26 for 62) with six home runs, four doubles and 28 RBIs, while Teddy Peterson is hitting .322 (19 for 59) with four home runs, five doubles and 19 RBIs.

•Through 17 games, MSU is batting .315, with 43 doubles, 28 home runs, averaging 8.3 runs per game and have a team ERA of 3.04 in 136 1/3 innings with 192 strikeouts.

Series history vs.

Minnesota State

•SMSU and MSU have meet 74 times since the first meeting in 1973 with MSU holding a commanding 64-10 all-time advantage. MSU and SMSU were members of the NIC from 1978-81 and MSU rejoined the NSIC prior to the 2009 season.

•MSU has won the past 12 games and 30 of the last 31 since the 2010 season.

•SMSU’s lone win in the last 10 years came on March 21, 2014, in Sioux City, Iowa.

•This will be MSU’s first games in Marshall since April 2, 2017.

SMSU diamond notes

•SMSU won its first NSIC series of the season last weekend taking two of three from Concordia-St. Paul at Legion Field.

•In the series opener on Friday, John Bezdicek tossed a four-hitter with seven strikeouts in SMSU’s 9-3 win. Keenan Wenzel blasted a grand slam in the fifth inning to give SMSU a 7-0 advantage. Nathan Kuhn had three hits in the win, while Brodie Smith had two hits, including a solo home run in the first inning.

•CSP picked up a 20-6 win in game two on Friday, cracking six home runs.

•SMSU had nine hits in the game, including home runs by Jake Hendricks and the first career home run for Chase McDaniel.

•In the series finale, SMSU scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to rally for a 4-3 victory. Robbie Smith drilled the game-winning single to score McDaniel from second base. Kuhn, Derek Smith and Robbie Smith each had two hits in the victory.

•Kolby Kiser started on the mound for the Mustangs and tossed six-plus innings with four strikeouts and allowed one earned run. Jared Tschetter picked up the win in relief tossing 1 1/3 shutout innings.

•John Bezdicek is now in fifth place in team history with 181 strikeouts. Pat O’Brien (2002-05) and Ryan Morse (2003-05) are tied for third all-time with 190.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications

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