MARSHALL — Robbie Smith smacked a single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth to score Chase McDaniel from second base and lift Southwest Minnesota State to a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday afternoon at Legion Field.

SMSU, which trailed 3-2 heading into the ninth, won the weekend series taking two of three from CSP. The Mustangs improve to 7-7 overall, 5-6 NSIC, while the Golden Bears drop to 7-10 overall, 3-9 NSIC.

Trailing 3-2 in the ninth, Derek Smith started the rally for the Mustangs with a single to right field. McDaniel followed laying down a two-strike bunt, but CSP pitcher TJ Johnson bobbled the ball allowing McDaniel to reach safely and then threw the ball away at first base allowing Smith to rumble around the bases and tie the game at 3-3. Following a ground out, Robbie Smith drilled the first pitch he saw from reliever Connor Hurley up the middle and lifting the Mustangs to the victory.

Robbie Smith closed the game 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Derek Smith and Nathan Kuhn each collected two hits.

CSP opened the game’s scoring taking advantage of a fielding error to score an unearned run in the third inning.

SMSU took its first lead of the game in the fifth with a pair of solid base-running hustle plays. With two outs, Robbie Smith dropped a single into shallow centerfield and McDaniel–who was running on the play–sprinted all the way from first base and just beat the throw home to tie the game at 1-1. Smith was able to reach second base on the throw to the plate and moments later came around to score on a single up the middle by Brodie Smith to give the Mustangs a 2-1 advantage.

CSP came back and tied the game in the seventh on a two-out throwing error on a potential inning-ending double play.

The Golden Bears regained the lead in the eighth, scoring a run on one hit and taking advantage of two hit by pitches and a walk to take a 3-2 lead.

SMSU starter Kolby Kiser was solid firing six-plus innings and allowed six hits, two runs (one earned), while striking out four and walking one.

Jared Tschetter (1-1), the last of three SMSU pitchers in the game, earned the win tossing 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout.

Southwest Minnesota State continues its homestand on Wednesday facing Minnesota State at Legion Field starting at 1:30 p.m.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications