Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Game One (.pdf) | Game Two (.pdf)

Northern State dropped a pair of games Monday in doubleheader action to Southwest Minnesota State at the Tucson Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. The Wolves' comeback bids in both contests came up short as they lost game one 7-5 and game two 4-3.

Southwest (6-4) opened the day with a five-run first inning in game one to stake itself to an early lead. Northern (2-4) chipped away at the Mustang lead with an Eric O' Bryan sacrifice fly in the third and a Robbie Rocamora RBI single in the fourth to cut the SMSU lead to 5-2. Southwest scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to build the lead back up to five runs.

NSU tried to rally in the seventh inning scoring three runs. Nate Russell tripled to left center field to drive in Tyler Gripentrog to get the first run of the inning. O'Bryan followed that up with his second RBI of the game to bring home Gripentrog and Matt Stubbs doubled to left to bring home O'Bryan to cut the Southwest lead down to 7-5 but from there the Wolves' offense stalled as Steven Wehr came on for the Mustangs to pick up the save.

In game two, SMSU got on the board first again scoring two in the top of the second inning. O'Bryan drove in the Wolves' first run of the game in the third inning to cut the lead in half. Southwest added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth inning and carried a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Riley Shintaffer's two RBI double to center brought home Stubbs and Casey Bohms to cut the lead to 4-3 heading into the seventh inning. Northern threatened in the inning with two on and one out but couldn't do anymore damage and took the loss in game two.

O'Bryan collected three RBI in the double dip while Stubbs went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and Derek Tymesen wast 3-of-4 in the two games. Andrew Crisman and Kyle Sonntage both pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Wolves on the day.

The Wolves return to action Thursday with a pair of nine inning games. NSU will face Dakota Wesleyan at 11 a.m. central time and will then face NSIC opponent Concordia-St. Paul at 3:00 in the afternoon.