BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State belted three home runs and used another strong pitching effort to defeat Wayne State 12-3 at Alumni Field on Sunday and sweep the three-game series. Sunday's second game was canceled due to cold temperatures.
 
It's the first conference sweep of three or more games for SMSU over WSC in program history.
 
SMSU (16-13, 7-6 NSIC) opened the scoring in the home half of the first as Ben Korger lead off with a double and later scored on a double into the right centerfield gap by Jon Ellis.
 
WSC answered with a run in the second on a double and an RBI single, but SMSU came right back in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead. Brandan Alfson and Sam Hass started the inning with back-to-back walks before Tanner Neale laid down a sac bunt put both runners in scoring position. Ryan Engels then followed with an RBI ground out to score Alfson and make the score 2-1.  
SMSU made the score 3-1 in the third as Austin Stubbs lofted a solo homer over the right field wall for his first round-tripper of the season.
 
The Mustangs then opened the game up with a big fourth inning, sending 11 men to the plate and scoring five runs on four hits. Alfson began the rally with a double before Haas drilled a two-run blast – his first homer of the season – over the right field fence to make the score 5-1. SMSU wasn't done as Neale smacked a double, Engels was hit by a pitch and Korger walked to load the bases. Jordon Kontz walked to score another run before Ellis came through with a two-run double down the right field line to extend the lead to 8-1. SMSU loaded the bases later in the inning with no outs, but failed to add to the lead with two strikeouts and a fly out.
 
SMSU plated another run in the fifth on as Korger followed a one-out triple by Engels with a run-scoring single to make the score 9-1. The Mustangs capped the scoring in the sixth as Patrick Rients drilled a two-run homer and Josh Hanson dropped in an RBI single to make the score 12-1.
 
The support was plenty for Wehr (3-2) who allowed seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks, while recording his third complete game of the season.
 
SMSU smacked out 12 hits with Korger, Ellis and Stubbs all finishing with two hits, while Ellis recorded three RBIs.

Today also marked just the second double digit scoring output for the Mustangs all season.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues conference play on Tuesday with a doubleheader at the University of Sioux Falls starting at 1:30 p.m.