Game One Box

Game Two Box

MARSHALL, MINN.:  The No. 7 ranked Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs defeated Upper Iowa 4-0 in game one and 3-1 in game two in eight innings to clinch sole possession of the regular season NSIC title.  This marks the third straight regular season conference championship and the fourth in the last five years.  SMSU has won nine regular season conference championships in school history.

The wins also improves the Mustangs record to 31-8 and 15-1 in the NSIC.  This marks the ninth 30-win season in school history.  SMSU has won 45 of its last 48 conference games.

Amanda Johnson carried Southwest in both games, throwing a total of 10.1 scoreless innings, while earning two victories.

In game one, Johnson struck out 12, while going all seven innings and allowing just three hits without walking a batter.

SMSU broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth when Andrea Fennern advanced to third on a three-base error by Upper Iowa's center fielder.  Jessica Paczosa brought Fennern home one pitch later with a sacrifice fly.  Pinch hitter Kristin Braden then ripped a double to right-center and scored on another error by the UIU center fielder.  Amanda Burkhart capped the inning by driving in Erin Dickhausen with a base hit through the left side to make the score 3-0.

SMSU added one more run in the sixth on an RBI single by Fennern that scored Micki Seibring, who pinch ran for Kiley Petersen.

Johnson closed the door with four strikeouts in the final two innings.

Game two was also a pitchers' duel early on, as the teams went scoreless through three innings. 

Sara Silke started on the mound for SMSU and allowed one unearned run in 4.2 innings, before handing the game over to Johnson.

UIU got the scoring started in the bottom of the fourth by taking advantage of an error by center fielder Katie Turner.

Southwest answered a run in the top of the fifth after a leadoff single by Petersen.  Pinch runner Seibring later scored on a single by Paczosa to tie the game at 1-1.

Johnson entered the game for Silke with runners on first and third, but got a pop out to Fennern at third to end the Peacock rally.

The teams went scoreless through seven innings.  Braden and Dickhausen led off the top of the eighth with back-to-back singles before Burkhart broke the 1-1 tie with a double to center scored Braden.  Dickhausen later scored on an error by the Peacock second baseman.

Johnson ended the game with a ground out and two strikeouts to earn her second win of the day.

SMSU will travel to Concordia-St. Paul for two games on Thursday, before having the weekend off.  The Mustangs will be at home on Tuesday against Augustana and will host the NSIC Tournament next weekend.