GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
DULUTH, Minn. - Minnesota Duluth held Southwest Minnesota State to a combined two runs and seven hits en route to topping the Mustangs 3-1 and 4-1 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader Sunday in Duluth.
UMD improves to 21-10 (10-6 NSIC), while SMSU drops to 14-15 (7-7 NSIC).
Krista Steen was the lone Mustang to collect a hit in Game 1; she had two hits, including a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning that turned out to be SMSU's only run.
Ali Honken went a complete game for the Mustangs in the circle, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out five Bulldog batters. The loss drops her to 5-7 on the season.
Honken gave a home run up in the first inning to allow UMD to take a 1-0 lead, but the junior strung together three shutout innings, giving the Mustangs a 1-0 difference to work from heading into the fifth.
Steen tied the contest at 1-1 when she led off the fifth with her solo homer to left field.
SMSU gave up the go-ahead run in the bottom of fifth after Honken tossed a wild pitch with the bases loaded, allowing UMD's Ashley Buirge to score.
The Mustangs put the tying run on base twice in the sixth inning, but the Bulldogs turned a double play and caught Steen trying to steal third to deny that.
A pair of UMD hits in the bottom half of the inning pushed across another run to put the hosts up 3-1.
SMSU was retired in order in the seventh to close the game.
The Mustang offense continued to struggle in Game 2 as SMSU mustered only five hits and drive in juust one run.
Katie Turner's solo homer--her first of the year--in the top of the fifth inning accounted for SMSU's lone score.
The shot came after the Bulldogs had already built a 4-0 lead.
Neither team would score for the remainder of the contest as UMD completed the sweep.
Christine Borowiak collected two hits for a stale Mustang offense.
UMD's Heather Stemper worked a complete game and struckout seven Mustang batters.
Three SMSU pitchers saw time;
Cortney Heim, who went 3.1 innings and gave up three runs, got the start and the loss to fall to 7-6.
Lauren Smith entered in the fourth and got in an inning of work before
Amanda Neumann closed the game.
SMSU will travel to Augustana on Wednesday for a 2 p.m. NSIC doubleheader.
