Trending
BRANDON, S.D. -- The University of Sioux Falls broke open a one-run game in the fifth inning scoring 11 runs on eight hits to earn a 15-3 victory over Southwest Minnesota State University in NSIC baseball on Sunday afternoon.
The victory gave USF a series victory after the teams split a doubleheader on Saturday. The Cougars improve to 13-10 overall, 5-3 NSIC, while SMSU drops to 8-10 overall, 1-5 NSIC.
USF collected 12 hits and took advantage of seven walks, two hit by pitches and eight wild pitches by SMSU pitching.
SMSU, which led 2-0 after two innings, closed the game with eight hits with Chase McDaniel, Keenan Wenzel and Isaac Nett each finishing with two hits, while Owen Latendresse and Jaxson Haase each had one hit.
Theo Giedd (0-2) made the start on the mound for SMSU and lasted three-plus innings while allowing four runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts in suffering in the loss in his second career start.
The Mustangs left two runners on base in the first but were able to advantage of a two-out Cougar error in the second to take an early lead. With two outs, Kip Gronholz reached second on a dropped fly ball and was followed by a two-run homer by Wenzel. It was Wenzel's first home run of the season and the second of his career.
SMSU maintained the 2-0 lead into the third inning before USF used a lead-off home run to cut the deficit to 2-1. Following a strikeout and a ground out, USF took advantage of a two-out walk, a double, a hit by pitch, a wild pitch and an infield single to take a 3-2 lead.
The USF lead moved to 4-2 in the fourth following a lead-off home run to chase Giedd and summoned Hayden Molva into the game, who retired all three batters he faced in the frame.
SMSU cut into the deficit in fifth as McDaniel singled and moved to second on a hit by pitch to Haase. Following a pair of fly outs, Lantendresse came through with a clutch RBI double to make the score 4-3.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the bottom of the fifth was disastrous as the Cougars exploded for its game-defining inning. The inning featured eight hits, five wild pitches, two walks and one hit by pitch.
SMSU will continue road action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Winona State. SMSU will open its home season next Saturday and Sunday with a three-game series versus Concordia-St. Paul.
Saturday
Sioux Falls 8, SMSU 0
SMSU 11,
Sioux Falls 6
BRANDON, S.D. - The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team (7-9 overall, 1-4 NSIC) was limited to one hit in an 8-0 loss but rebounded in game two with an 11-6 victory to split with the University of Sioux Falls (12-10, 4-3) in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader at Aspen Park on Saturday afternoon.
Andy Andresen had the lone hit for the Mustangs in game one, and although SMSU was the beneficiary of six walks in the game, they struck out 10 times and left seven runners on base.
USF would score three runs in the first inning off SMSU starter Kolby Kiser (0-3) and added single runs in the third and three more in the fourth to cruise to the victory. Kiser finished the game tossing 3 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs on six hits. Sam Nascak pitched 2/3 innings of inning in relief, while Craig Lasley fired the final two frames and allowed one run.
USF starter Caleb Ditmarson tossed the seven-inning complete game with 10 strikeouts and six walks.
It's the first time SMSU has been shutout this season.
SMSU would outhit USF 14-9 in game two, as Owen Latendresse would lead an offense that saw five multi-hit performances, going 3 for 5 with two home runs, three RBIs, and four runs scored.
The Mustangs would jump ahead with two outs in the first inning of game two as Isaac Nett would drive an 0-1 pitch to left-center field, clearing the wall for his team-high third home run of the season and giving the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.
Latendresse would double the lead to lead off the second inning, sending the first pitch he saw in nearly the same spot as Nett's home run to grow the lead to 2-0.
USF would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, picking up a walk and back-to-back singles with two outs to manufacture a run and make it 2-1.
Latendresse would lead off the fourth inning with a single and stolen base before scoring on a Jake Tauer double, and Tauer would be driven in on a single from Nick Brown to grow the lead to 4-1. SMSU would threaten the entire inning, but the USF defense would get a pair of outs at home plate on fielder's choices to limit further damage.
USF would trim the SMSU lead to 4-2 after a fifth inning sac fly, but the Mustangs would add a pair in the sixth after a Brown double, Keenan Wenzel RBI double, and Chase McDaniel RBI single with one out to go up 6-2.
Following a Max Kalenberg single with one out in the seventh inning, Latendresse would send his second home run of the game over the left field fence to add insurance at 8-2.
USF would tack on another run on a sac fly in the bottom of the inning, but Kalenberg would put the game out of reach with a two-run shot to left in the top of the ninth, and Kip Gronholz would send a sac fly to center to take an 11-3 lead.
USF would score three in the ninth on a sac fly, ground out, and wild pitch, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the deficit.
Ryan Chmielewski (2-2) would get the win after going 5 1/3 innings, giving up a pair of earned runs on a season-low four hits and four walks while striking out five.
It was the first time since Apr. 22, 2021, that the Mustangs would hit four home runs in a game and a player would have a multi-home run game.
-- Content courtesy
of SMSU Athletic
Communications