GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
BISMARCK, N.D. – Tyler Flattum worked a bases loaded walk in the top of the 10th inning to give Southwest Minnesota State a 6-5 lead and eventual victory over the University of Mary in game two of a doubleheader on Sunday. In the opener, the University of Mary’s Kyal Williams tossed a five-hit shutout to lead the Marauders to a 7-0 victory.
SMSU won three of four during the weekend series and is now 19-12 overall, 9-7 NSIC. The University of Mary is 6-28, 5-15 NSIC.
In game two, SMSU’s Corby McGlauflin (2-2) tossed 3.1 shutout innings to pick up the victory, allowing two hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Adam Thygesen and Kyle Young led a 10-hit Mustang attack with three hits each, with Young collecting a pair of RBIs. Chris Eichten added two hits and scored two runs for the Mustangs.
Jeremy Schmidt started for SMSU and pitched 6.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
UMary jumped to a 3-0 first inning lead racking out three hits and taking advantage of two SMSU walks, two wild pitches and one passed ball. Schmidt then settled into a groove for SMSU and held the Marauders scoreless over the next five innings and the SMSU offense responded and took the lead.
SMSU plated a single run in the third on an RBI ground out by Ben Korger and then tied the game in the fourth with a pair of runs. With one out, Chris Eichten singled, stole second and the moved to third on a ground out. Jeff Watson then doubled down the right field line to make the score 3-2, and then one batter later came around to score on a single by Young to tie the game at 3-3.
SMSU, which stranded 11 runners on base in the game, left two on in the fifth, but came through with clutch hitting in the sixth inning to take the lead. Jon Ellis started the inning with a double and later scored on a one-out infield single by Young to make the score 4-3. SMSU then added another run in the seventh putting together a two-out rally. Thygesen singled with two outs and promptly stole second. Eichten then smacked a run-scoring single to right-center to give SMSU a two-run advantage.
The Marauders came right back and tied the game in the seventh inning and nearly took the lead. A ground out scored UMary’s first run and then an SMSU two-out throwing error allowed another run to score and tie the game. McGlauflin then entered the game and gave up a bunt single and on the play threw the ball away, allowing the batter to reach third base. McGlauflin ended the threat with a ground ball to keep the game tied.
Neither team had a base runner in the eighth and ninth innings, but SMSU finally broke through in the 10th. Eichten started the rally with a walk and moved to second on a throwing error by UMary following a sac bunt by Ellis. Jeff Watson then laid down a sac bunt to move both runners up, before Young was walked intentionally to load the bases. Flattum then stepped to the plate and watched four straight pitches out of the zone to give SMSU a one-run lead. The Mustangs failed to add to the lead as the inning ended with a pop out and fly out.
In the 10th, the Marauders started the inning with a single and a walk, but McGlauflin coaxed a 6-4-3 double play and a ground out to end the game leaving the tying run on third base.
In the opener, Williams recorded four strikeouts and walked two SMSU batters to earn the shutout. It’s the first time SMSU has been shutout this season.
SMSU’s Aaron Johnson (2-4) dropped his third straight decision, allowing five runs, three earned, in five-plus innings. He struck out two, walked one and allowed seven hits.
UMary scored unearned runs in both the third and fourth innings to build a 2-0 lead.
The score remained that way until the sixth, when SMSU had its best scoring chance. Adam Thygesen doubled with two outs and was followed by a Jon Ellis single, but the inning ended with Thygesen was thrown out at the plate.
The Marauders then put the game away with a five-run sixth inning.
Southwest Minnesota State will now return to Alumni Field to begin a 10-game homestand on Tuesday, taking on Northern State for a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m.