MINNEAPOLIS — The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team picked up a bounce-back win behind a four-run fifth inning on Saturday, taking down Concordia-St. Paul 4-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play after getting swept by the Golden Bears a day prior.

SMSU trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth when all momentum shifted. Jared Cortez led off the frame with a double before scoring the tying run on a Tanner Rezny single down the left-field line.

A single from Evan Behn put runners in scoring position with one out and Henry Hammrich capitalized with a two-run go-ahead double, and he stole third before scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Caden King.

The Mustangs didn’t score for the rest of the game, but their pitching shut down the Golden Bears from there.

Ryan Bell pitched the game’s first eight innings to improve to 3-2 on the season. He gave up two earned runs on four hits and a walk and struck out three batters.

In relief, Austin Dent pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his first save of the year.

Eli Nelson hit a solo homer with two outs in the top of the eighth to give the Golden Bears a gasp of life, but SMSU retired the next batter before Dent closed out the game in the ninth and capped off the game with a strikeout.

Lampert and Cortez each had a pair of hits for the Mustangs, including a double for Cortez and a walk for Lampert. King also reached base twice with a pair of walks and Connor Davis logged a single and a walk.

Jack Thompson pitched four scoreless innings in his start for the Golden Bears, giving up four walks and a pair of hits with four strikeouts. Caden Carsen took the loss after giving up four earned runs on four hits, while Christian Lindow and Tyus Smith pitched 1 2/3 and two scoreless innings, respectively. None of the last three pitchers for Concordia logged a strikeout, but Smith held the Mustangs hitless and Lindow limited SMSU to two hits.

Charlie Harms scored the game’s first run when he doubled with two outs in the fourth and scored on an Eric Berg single.

Gus Berger was the lone Golden Bear to reach base twice, finishing with a single and a walk.

SMSU improves to 13-7 overall and 3-6 in conference with the win. The Mustangs head to Bismarck, N.D. for a four-game series against UMary over the weekend. Saturday’s doubleheader at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark starts at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday’s starts at noon.