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TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team capped off its eight-game road trip in Arizona on Sunday with a dramatic come-from-behind 10-8 victory over Carthage College (Wis.) at the Kino Sports Complex.
SMSU, which has now won five in a row, trailed 6-2 in the ninth, but scored eight runs on five hits and four walks to build a 10-6 lead. Carthage rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but left the tying run on first base.
The Firebirds had snapped a 2-2 game with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6-2 advantage.
SMSU concluded its week-long trip to Tucson with a record of 6-2.
Owen Latendresse collected a career-high four hits, while Andy Andresen tied a career-high with three hits to pace SMSU's 12-hit offensive attack. Latendresse also earned his first career pitching victory tossing 2/3 innings of inning.
In the ninth, SMSU used a pair of walks and a single by Andresen to load the bases. Trey Runge worked a walk to score the first run and after a strikeout, Jake Tauer walked to force in another run and cut the deficit to 6-4. A wild pitch scored another run before Kip Gronholz dropped in an RBI single down the right field line to tie the game at 6-6. Latendresse then put SMSU in the lead for the first time with a bunt single to score Tauer. Nick Brown then delivered the big blow--a triple down the right field line--to plate two more and push the lead to 9-6. Jaxon Haase, who started the rally with a walk, added a check-swing run-scoring single to another and extend the margin to 10-6.
The Firebirds started the game's scoring pushing across two runs in the bottom of the third.
Carthage starting pitcher Bryce Schaum was in complete control for most of the game retiring 13 straight Mustangs hitters from the second to the sixth inning. Latendresse was finally able to break through with a two-out single in the sixth. Nick Brown followed with a high fly ball in shallow center field that was misplayed for an error and allowing Latendresse to score all the way from first base.
SMSU would tie the game in the seventh with Andresen smacking a one-out single. Trey Runge followed with a bad-hop single to shortstop to put runners on the corners. Jackson Bates tied the score moments later with a sac bunt to score Andresen and make the score 2-2.
CC (3-6), which was held to four hits through seven innings, snapped the deadlock in the home half of the eighth with four runs on four hits highlighted by three doubles.
After SMSU took the lead in the ninth, CC rallied with a pair of runs, but Brady Brosz retired two of the four batters he faced to secure the win and his first career save.
Kolby Kiser made the start on the mound for the Mustangs and completed a solid 5 2/3 innings with a career-high tying seven strikeouts. It's the third time this season he has recorded seven strikeouts. He allowed two runs on four hits, while hitting two batters and walking none.
Cameron Jensen tossed 1 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts. Ansen Dulas also pitched in relief for the Mustangs.
Southwest Minnesota State will now turn its attention to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play starting next Saturday and Sunday with a three-game series at Wayne State College.
Saturday
SMSU 4,
Jamestown (N.D.) 2
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team used strong pitching and timely hitting to earn its fourth straight victory with a 4-2 win over the University of Jamestown on Saturday afternoon at the Kino Sports Complex.
The Mustangs rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the seventh with two in the seventh an insurance in the eighth to defeat the Jimmies for the second time in three games this week.
Isaac Nett led the SMSU offense with a career-high four hits, while Chase McDaniel, Max Kalenberg and Owen Latendresse each added two hits to pace the Mustangs' 13-hit attack.
Ryan Chmielewski (1-2) started on the mound for the Mustangs and earned his first career victory lasting six innings and allowed two runs. He gave up nine hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
SMSU received scoreless relief in the final three innings from Jerod Cyrus, Avery Stevens and Andy Andresen. Andresen entered the game with a runner on base and one out in the ninth, but closed the game with a pair of fly outs to secure his first career save.
The Jimmies (10-10) took an early lead pushing across a run in the bottom of the second inning.
SMSU had a great chance to tie the game in the fourth with Nett, Kalenberg and Latendresse each hitting singles to load the bases with no out. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, a fielder's choice and two fly outs ended the inning with no runs crossing the plate.
The Mustangs tied the game in the sixth as Nett led-off the inning with a bunt single and moved to second on a failed pick-off attempt. Following a Kalenberg single that put runners at the corners, Latendresse drilled a run-scoring single to center to tie the game at 1-1.
The Jimmies took advantage of a two-out wild pitch to advance a runner to second and then went back in front with an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead after six complete.
SMSU answered back in a big way to take the lead in the seventh. Keenan Wenzel doubled to start the inning, but was at third base with two outs following a pair of fly outs. Jaxon Haase came through in a big way with a line single to tie the game at 2-2. Moments later, Nett ripped a triple to center to plate Haase and put the Mustangs in the lead at 3-2.
UJ loaded the bases off of SMSU relief pitcher Jerod Cyrus in the home half of the frame, but a ground out ended the threat, keeping the Mustangs in the lead.
SMSU took advantage of a two-out dropped fly ball in the eighth to add to the lead. Caleb Gardow came through with a clutch RBI single on a 1-2 count to score Robbie Smith and push the score to 4-2.
Stevens worked a perfect eighth inning before allowing a one-out walk in the ninth, but Andresen entered the game and retired the final two batters.
-- Content courtesy
of SMSU Athletic
Communications