Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. - In the first ever softball games played at the Regional Event Center, the Southwest Minnesota State softball team didn't disappoint, putting together a pair of shutouts and defeating Northern State 11-0 and 10-0 Thursday afternoon in Marshall, Minn.

The wins improve SMSU to 10-14 (2-0 NSIC), while NSU drops to 3-18 (0-6 NSIC).

Poor field conditions at Mustang Field prompted the venue change.

Amanda Johnson was stellar in the opening game victory, nearly compiling a perfect game.  The senior was flawless until the fifth inning when NSU's Whitney Luhring doubled to left field to post the Wolves' only hit of the contest.  Johnson struck out eight in the effort; she moves to 4-6 on the season.

Offensively, the Mustangs hit the turf running, collecting a pair of runs in the opening inning behind an Amanda Tucci single that drove in Christine Borowiak and a Kiley Peterson single that brought in Amanda Burkhart.

It was SMSU's five-run second inning that gave the host team a firm grip on the lead.  Jessica Paczosa had a two RBI inning, dropping a double into left center that scored Andrea Fennern and Meaghan Laetsch.  Paczosa went on to score off an error just before Burkart hammered a two-run shot to make it 7-0.

After a scoreless third, Burkart crushed another homerun--this one a solo shot--in the fourth to give the Mustangs an 8-0 advantage.

SMSU tacked on another three runs in the fifth to make it a short one, cruising to the 11-0, five-inning victory.

Christine Borowiak, Burkart and Laetsch all had two hits for SMSU.

In game two, Ali Honken picked up where Johnson left off.  The sophomore went a complete game, giving up three hits and striking out eight.  The 10-0 victory was her first career shutout.

Burkart was the first to get SMSU on the board, and she didn't break character, sending another solo shot over the fence, her third homerun of the day, in the top of the second to put the Mustangs up 1-0.  She was intentionally walked for the remainder of her at-bats.

The third inning was another one-run campaign for SMSU as Fennern managed to drive in Laetsch, who had already reached on a double.

Kristin Braden drove the first of four runs home in the fifth inning, using a single to score Laetsch from third.  Borowiak dropped one in center field to drive in Paczosa and Fennern.  Tucci closed the scoring in the fifth, driving in Braden from third via a sacrifice fly.

The Mustangs proceeded to add four more runs to their lead in the seventh inning to make it a double-digit advantage.  Pacsoza christened the inning with a triple and was quickly hit in by a Braden single.  Tucci drove in another two runs and Amanda Voss added the final touch, singling to score Tucci and make it a 10-0 lead.

Honken tossed two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete the shutout.

Braden, Voss and Laetsch all had two hits.

SMSU will host Mary in a conference doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m. at Mustang Field.