SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Southwest Minnesota State baseball team drilled three home runs and four triples in their doubleheader against Bemidji State on Friday. The Mustangs’ hot hitting led the team to a 17-0 win in their first game of the day against the Beavers and a 15-1 win in the second.

Friday’s games were originally scheduled to be played in Bemidji but were relocated due to poor weather conditions.

After a scoreless first inning of Game 1, the Mustangs exploded for eight runs in the second to take command of the game. Owen Latendresse led the inning off with a double and scored when Peyton Nash did the same with one away.

A single by Caleb Gardow drove in Nash and a single from Cody Wichmann and a Jake Tauer bunt loaded the bases with one out.

The Mustang rally continued when Chase McDaniel and Isaac Nett each doubled in a pair of runs to make the score 6-0. Keenan Wenzel then hit an RBI triple to score Nett and Latendresse picked up his second double of the inning to make the score 8-0 before consecutive groundouts ended the frame.

Kolby Kiser took the hill in game one, pitching five scoreless innings with just four hits allowed and no other baserunners. He also struck out five batters.

Kiser has not allowed more than one earned run in any of his last five outings, improving to 5-1 on the season.

Will Hoernemann and Hayden Molva each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

The Mustangs started the third inning out slowly with a Codey Wichmann double sandwiched between a groundout and a strikeout. Yet, Wichmann scored on a wild pitch to keep the SMSU momentum flowing.

McDaniel stole second base to get in scoring position after hitting a single and a double from Nett, a single from Wenzel and a Latendresse two-run homer to right field made the Mustangs’ lead 13-0.

Gardow hit a one-out double in the top of the sixth. The Mustangs followed up Gardow’s extra-base hit with four doubles and an RBI fielder’s choice to add another four runs in the frame before settling for the 17-0 win.

Wichmann, Tauer and Latendresse each had four hits in the early game. Latendresse’s four RBIs were second only to Nett’s five RBIs on three hits.

In the second game of the day, SMSU struck early with three first-inning runs.

McDaniel and Wenzel started the inning with a single apiece to put runners on the corners with one out. Latendresse again capitalized with a two-run single to center field and, after stealing second, he scored on an RBI single from Nash.

After the early fireworks, the Mustangs settled down for three scoreless innings before rallying once again in the top of the fifth.

McDaniel started the Mustangs’ second wind with a triple to left field. Isaac Nett scored McDaniel with an RBI single but was caught stealing during the next at-bat.

With two outs, Wenzel was hit by a pitch and scored on a Latendresse triple, the Mustangs’ second of the fifth inning. Max Kalenberg homered in the next at-bat to make the score 7-0.

Carter Petron got the start in the second game, pitching four hitless, scoreless innings to improve to 3-1 on the season. The junior pitcher finished the day with four strikeouts and six walks.

After Kalenberg walked to start the seventh inning, Nash launched a homer over the right field wall to make the score 11-1 in the top of the seventh. The four-bagger was the first of Nash’s collegiate career.

SMSU continued to pile on when Brady Petron hit a triple in the next at-bat and scored on a wild pitch. Wichmann also walked before advancing all the way around the bases on a series of wild pitches.

Tauer reached on a walk and scored on a double from Nett and Nett scored SMSU’s final run on a Kalenberg single.

Shay Endres pitched a pair of innings of relief, retiring all but one of the batters he faced. The one hit was a Zach Evenson home run in the bottom of the sixth but the Mustangs had more than enough cushion to withstand the blow.

Petron doubled to lead off the sixth inning and scored on a Tauer single and Tauer returned to home plate after a Nett RBI single.

Nett picked up three hits in the second game of the day to finish with eight total. Nett, Latendresse, Kalenberg and Nash each also drove in three runs in the game.

Noah Cekalla closed out the game with a scoreless seventh inning on the mound. He struck out two batters without allowing a base runner.

The Mustangs will head to Brandon, S.D. for their second doubleheader against the Beavers today at Aspen Park. The first pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for noon.