WINONA, Minn. – After taking the first two games in the series, the Winona State Warriors (12-24, 12-14 NSIC) split games three and four with the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs (9-23, 4-18 NSIC). The first game went to extra innings after a two run, sixth inning tied the game for WSU. The Mustangs went up one run in the ninth and got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth taking a 4-3 victory over Winona State. A seventh inning comeback sealed the series win for Winona State, as they took game two 4-3.
 
Game 1
Warriors Fall in Extras
 
Daniel Karlin-Kamin got the game three start for the Warriors. After getting the first two outs, Tanner Strommen got on base with a single before Karlin-Kamin got a strikeout ending the inning. Lefty Erik Thorvilson took the mound for the Mustangs. Joe Kubera led off with a double to right field before swiping third for a stolen base. Jesus Cazares knocked in Kubera on a ground out two batters later scoring the game's first run.
 
In the bottom half of the fourth, Kipp Youngquist reached on a one out walk before Michael Hommes hit a flair to center. The Warriors couldn't extend their lead as two fly outs ended the inning.
 
Brady Lanoue singled to left with two on to tie the game at one apiece in the fifth inning. Karlin-Kamin responded with two straight outs before Derek Branson doubled to deep right center scoring two more and the Mustangs took a 3-1 lead. Winona State threatened to score after two out singles by Trey Larson and Cazares. Thorvilson got out of the inning as he caught Sam Kohnle's line drive.
 
Karlin-Kamin set down the first two Mustang batters to face him before giving up a single for the lone hit of the inning. He would get out of the inning a batter later on a fly out to left field. Kipp Youngquist doubled to center to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Thorvilson got the next two outs as he tried to strand Youngquist at second. Derek Martin singled to left field on the next at bat scoring Youngquist to bring WSU within one. Following Martins single Hommes ripped a triple down the right field line to tie the game at three.
 
Lucas Crimmins entered the game in the seventh in relief of Karlin- Kammin. Crimmins allowed one base runner after a walk before forcing a foul out and a strikeout out sending the game to the bottom of the seventh tied. Larson hit a single to lead off the inning before a double play and a fly out ended the inning sending the game to extras.
 
Parker Holmstrom took the mound looking to set down the Mustangs in the eighth inning of play. Holmstrom induced a fly out to begin the eighth before striking out the next two batters looking. SMSU pitcher Brandon Woznak set down the Warriors in order sending the game to the ninth inning.
 
A leadoff walk to Tanner Luebke set up a sacrifice bunt advancing him to second. Lanoue came to the plate and doubled up the middle scoring Luebke and putting the Mustangs up one. Michael Revenig came in to pitch the ninth after a leadoff walk was issued to Martin. Hommes reached first advancing Martin to second on a sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice bunt on the next at bat by Kubera advanced runner to second and third. Taylor Field was walked, loading the bases with one out before Jesus Cazares flied out to right ending the game on a double play as a runner was also thrown out at second sealing the 4-3 Mustang win.
 
Game 2
Warriors Walk Off
 
Starter Caleb Schoenholz once again got the first two outs of the inning to begin the second. He hit VanderBeek to put a baserunner on first before a bunted out ended the inning. The Warriors went down in order in the second as two fly outs and a pop out ended the inning.
 
Luebke led off the third with a double down the left field line, two consecutive outs threatened to strand him on second before Lanoue singled up the middle to put the Mustangs up one. Stouffer continued to shut the Warriors down in the third getting two groundouts and a strikeout.
 
After issuing a leadoff walk, Schoenholz settled down forcing three consecutive fly outs to end the away half of the fourth. Kubera walked to begin the bottom of the fourth after a rain delay halted the game for about 45 minutes. The Warriors would get two runner on before Stouffer got the next two outs to end the inning.
 
Mitch Eady entered the game for the Warriors to begin the fifth inning. Eady induced a ground out before giving up a single. He kept the last two batters off base forcing a fly out and notching a strikeout. Winona State was set down in order as Stouffer forced three groundball outs in the inning.
 
Strommen was hit by a pitch to begin the sixth inning, before stealing second and third base. VanderBeek hit a two out single to left scoring Strommen, giving the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage. Eady got out of a bases loaded jam two batters later on a fly out to center field.
 
A single down the left field line from Kubera gave the Warriors a base runner. He stole second and advance to third on a throwing error. Cazares drew a two out walk during the next at bat before Nick Nalewanski singled to right scoring Kubera and brining WSU within one. Youngquist drove in another run on a single to tie the game at two.
 
Kubera moved from center field to the pitcher's mound to begin the seventh inning. A one out single from Lanoue set up Strommen's one out RBI double to put SMSU back on top by one heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Michael Revenig entered the game in the seventh looking for the save. A pop out to begin the bottom of the seventh was followed by to back-to-back walks. James Hardy came in to pitch following the walks for SMSU. Kubera knocked a single to left field scoring Martin to tie the game at three. Larson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Hommes scored the winning run on a wild pitch during the next at bat to seal the 4-3 Warrior victory.
 
It was the first pitching appearance for Kubera this year; he is now 6-2 in his pitching career.
 
By: Jake Thiede