ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul (21-11, 14-9 NSIC) scored two big victories on a chilly Tuesday afternoon over Southwest Minnesota State (6-27, 4-14 NSIC) at Barnes Field, picking up a 3-1 win in game one before a 4-3 second game win.

With a stiff 10-15 mile per hour wind blowing in from the north, the conditions knocked down any potential home runs for either team on the day as the starting pitchers on both sides kept the contests close.

SMSU led 1-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning of the seven inning first game and led 3-0 entering the bottom of the fifth and 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh of the nine inning second game.

Concordia scored three runs in the sixth inning of game one, and scored one in the fifth and sixth and two more in the seventh inning of game two for the comeback wins. Concordia has now produced a 4-0 season record against SMSU, with all four being comeback wins against the Mustangs.

The Golden Bears, in a virtual tie with Minnesota State (13-8) for fifth in the standings, hit the road for the final eight games of the year with a pair of key NSIC weekend series at Sioux Falls (10-12-1, 8th) this Saturday and Sunday; and at Winona State (13-11-1, 7th) on Friday and Saturday, May 6-7. The top eight teams will make the NSIC Tournament, with the first round of games on Wednesday, May 11. USF holds nearly a three-plus game lead over Northern State (7-11) for the final spot as it stands today.

GAME 1: Concordia 3, SMSU 1
In game one, SMSU put the first two runners on base via a hit by pitch and a sharp single back up the middle past junior left handed starter Josh Lenz. From there, Lenz took control as he retired 12 consecutive Mustangs, five via the strikeout to get into the middle innings unscathed.

Concordia had plenty of opportunities to take control of the game, stranding the bases loaded in the first, runners on second and third in the second, and a double play to end a first and second rally in the third.

In the top of the fifth, SMSU finally scratched a run across against Lenz to claim the first lead of the day after a pair of singles to start the inning were followed by a pair of fielder's choice grounders, the second resulting in a run.

After the two singles to start the fifth, Lenz retired the game's nine batters to set down 21 of the last 23.

Concordia provided the only support he'd need in the bottom of the sixth inning in its last trip to the plate with a one out rally starting with a single by senior Ryan Poppitz. Sophomores Tanner Holmquist and Adam Hildebrandt followed with a walk and a hit by pitch to load the bases when freshman Carter Schmidt tied the game on a sacrifice fly to center. Andrew Shotwell followed with a two-run single, the eventual game-winning hit.

Lenz went the distance in the seven inning contest, striking out eight without issuing a walk and allowing just three singles. He improves to 6-1 on the year in 10 appearances and three starts, with the complete game being his first while lowering his ERA to 3.82.

He out-dueled SMSU starter Cole Petersen, who allowed three runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout in 5.2 innings, falling to 2-5.

Poppitz, Shotwell and freshman Ben Suits each went 2-3 in the game while sophomore Connor Olson added his 13th double.

GAME 2: Concordia 4, SMSU 3
In game two, SMSU didn't waste time collecting its first lead of the day, scoring in the first after a pair of walks resulted in a two-out RBI single for Shane Sellner off of freshman right hander Keanu Mendez.

Mendez worked out of trouble in the second, stranding a runner on third base by inducing an inning ending double play. He struck out the side around a two out error in a solid third inning before running into trouble in the fourth.

Despite not allowing a hit in the fourth, Mendez loaded the bases on a leadoff error followed by a pair of walks, walking in a run before inducing a double play for the second run of the inning. Both runs against him in the frame were unearned, but his day would end after hitting a pair of Mustangs to reload the bases.

Senior right handed reliever Yuji Suzuki entered and promptly picked up a strikeout to limit the damage.

Trailing 3-0, Concordia started to chip away against SMSU right handed starter Justin Clark, the Mustangs' ERA leader at 3.82 entering the game making his seventh start.

In the fifth, Concordia scored its first run on a Ben Suits bases loaded infield single down the third base line, with SMSU third baseman Jayden Fleck diving for the ball but unable to beat freshman Isaac Hormann in a race to the base, scoring sophomore Connor Olson. Concordia left the bases loaded with one out, only getting one run in against Clark, however.

In the sixth, sophomore Adam Hildebrandt led off by getting hit by a pitch and freshman Carter Schmidt walked to start another threat. After a sacrifice bunt, Olson hit a deep line out to the left field warning track to score the second run.

Clark left after six innings and a 3-2 lead, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks to lower his ERA to 3.68.

SMSU was unable to get anything off of Suzuki, as the senior worked a season-high 4.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and a pair of walks with six strikeouts.

In the bottom of the seventh, Concordia continued its scoring as senior Eric Fasnacht led off with a single on the first pitch, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on a two-out RBI double to the left center gap by sophomore Tanner Holmquist to tie the game. Hildebrandt followed by lacing a double off the right field fence for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning hit.

Suzuki struck out the final two batters he'd face in the eighth inning, striking out the side around a one-out hit by pitch.

In the ninth inning, senior Tyler Schmitz worked a 1-2-3 inning, striking out SMSU's 3-4-5 hitters on 13 pitches (10 strikes) for his second save. The two senior right handed relievers combined to strike out nine batters in 5.1 innings, and with Mendez the trio combined for 14 strikeouts in 9.0 innings, allowing only three hits in the game.

Mendez worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits, striking out and walking five in the no decision, dropping his ERA to 3.67.

Holmquist went 2-4 with his second double, and Hormann went 2-3 with a pair of doubles (9) and a walk.