Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

ABERDEEN, S.D. – On a day in which a blustery northwest wind, the visiting Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs and Northern State University Wolves combined to hit seven home runs and 14 total extra-base hits, as the Mustangs took home the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference sweep with 13-5 (five innings) and 7-5 victories on Sunday afternoon.

The Wolves slipped to 14-27 overall and 7-14 in NSIC play, while the Mustangs improved to 27-16 on the year and 15-8 in league games.

SMSU had six of the seven home runs, three in each game.  Two of those came off the bat of junior Christine Borowiak, including a three-run shot in the fourth inning.  Kaley Scearcy also pounded a two-run shot in the second.

The Wolves countered with a three-run dinger from junior thirdbaseman Whitney Luhring that plated senior Kelley Suggs and freshman Sarah L'Allier, who led off the stanza with a single and a walk.  Sophomore Natasha Neu also doubled and scored an unearned run to make it a 13-5 affair before the Mustangs and senior ace Ali Honken managed to shut down the Wolves for the run-rule shortened win.

NSU junior Kelli Bornander took the complete game loss for the Wolves, allowing all 13 runs on 12 hits despite racking up seven strikeouts.  The Wolves also committed four defensive errors.

NSU turned the tables in Game 2, taking advantage of three Mustang errors to score three unearned runs.  Two of those came in the third inning and gave the Wolves a 3-0 lead.

SMSU, however, made up for leaving the bases juiced in the second inning with a pair of runs in the fourth.  Borowiak then tied the game with her third homer of the day in the fifth.

The Wolves then committed a costly error in the top of the sixth inning, and the Mustangs made them pay with back-to-back homers from Micki Seibring and Amy Dreessen that vaulted them to a 7-3 advantage.

NSU responded with lead-off hits from Luhring and Kelsey Robling.  L'Allier replaced Luhring at first following her single and scored on Robling's ensuing double.  A Mustang error then allowed Robling to score from second, but SMSU senior Cortney Heim shut down the Wolves for the remainder of the inning and escaped a two-on, two-out situation in the seventh to earn the save.

Chelsey Evans picked up the win for the Mustangs despite being charged with all five NSU runs.  Suggs was tagged with the loss for the Wolves, allowing seven runs (three earned) on ten hits and striking out four in her seven-inning outing.

The Wolves will conclude the 2011 season on Monday, facing Minnesota State in another NSIC doubleheader.  First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at Moccasin Creek Complex.