Game 1 - Wayne State 4 Southwest Minnesota State 3

Game 2 - Wayne State 10 Southwest Minnesota State 8

            Wayne State used late game heroics in both game to sweep Southwest Minnesota State 4-3 and 10-8 in NSIC opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. Wayne State improves to 8-7 overall and 2-0 in NSIC action. The Mustangs fall to 7-7 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
            The Mustangs scored in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead before senior infielder Noah Roberts scored two Wildcats on a single down the right field line to take the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
            Southwest Minnesota State answered with two runs on three hits in the top of the third, making the score 3-2.
            The score would stay at 3-2 until the bottom of the sixth inning when senior infielder Chris Cornish homered to right center to tie the score up at 3-3 on his second homer of the season.
            Wayne State headed into the bottom of the seventh inning with a chance for a walk off win after sophomore pitcher Brody Sintek recorded a 1-2-3 top of the inning. Connor Fiene doubled to left center. After a walk, Fiene moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, putting the winning run just 90 feet from home.
            An intentional walk by the Mustangs loaded the bases for Cornish. Cornish reached on a fielder's choice play that on the field was ruled an out at second base. Upon video review of the play, the umpires overturned the call on the field, ruling that the runner was safe on second and allowed Fiene to score the game-winning run and a 4-3 Wildcat win.
            Sintek (2-1) recorded the win for Wayne State, pitching a complete game while allowing just three earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Kolby Kiser (0-2) received the loss for the Mustangs after giving up the leadoff double to start the seventh inning. Kiser pitched six innings with four earned runs and three strikeouts and three walks. 
            Cornish went 1-3 in the game with a two-run homer to lead the 'Cats offense.
            Both teams had six hits in the contest with WSC only striking out three times in the game. Wayne State earned five walks and allowed just one.
            The second contest saw WSC jump out to 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Cornish hit an RBI double.
            Southwest Minnesota State answered with two runs in the top of the third, but WSC answered in the bottom half inning with a two-run homer from Hanson, his second of the year.
            WSC scored another in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from senior outfielder Travis Baily to make the score 4-2.
            SMSU came back in the top of the fifth and scored four runs on four hits with two left on base to make the score 6-4. The Mustangs scored again in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch and again in the top of the seventh on an RBI single, moving their lead to 8-4.
            Freshman infielder Chase Douglas had an RBI double that scored Fiene. Hanson had a triple the scored two, cutting the SMSU lead to 8-7. Hanson scored on a Cornish SAC fly to knot the score at 8-8 after seven innings of play.
            Roberts walked to lead off the bottom the eighth. After Baily walked for the Wildcats.  Roberts and Baily both advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Fiene with Roberts coming around to score on a wild pitch. Baily would come around to score on the next play on a SAC fly by Cam Madsen to give WSC a 10-8 lead at the end of eight innings.
            Wayne State picked up the win after allowing just one hit in the top of the ninth, with junior Andrew Staebell recording three strikeouts in the inning, taking the win 10-8.
            Staebell (1-0) recorded the win for the Wildcats, throwing three innings of relief, allowing no earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Cameron Jensen (1-1) picked up the loss for the Mustangs, going two-thirds of an inning, allowing three earned runs with two walks and no strikeouts.
            Douglas went 3-4 with an RBI, a double, three runs scored and a stolen base to lead the WSC offense. Hanson had a double and a home run to go 2-4 at the plate.
            WSC had 14 hits in the second contest of the day, compared to 11 from SMSU. The Wildcats earned four walks and allowed the Mustangs just three walks. Wayne State had an 11-4 advantage in strikeouts.
            The two teams close out their three-game NSIC series Sunday with a nine inning contest starting at noon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.