GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State softball head coach Shawn Semler became the winningest softball coach in SMSU history when Krista Steen hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Bemidji State (1-9, 0-2 NSIC) 5-4 in game two of a doubleheader. The Mustangs won the first game 8-1 over the Beavers.

Southwest Minnesota State (14-8, 2-0 NSIC) won the first game of the doubleheader 8-1 behind a 13-strikeout five-hit performance by Ali Honken. Honken held the Beavers hitless through five innings until Danika Stelton drilled a two-out triple down the right field line. Stelton would eventually score an RBI single by Nicole Dupay.

SMSU got on the board early when Penick scored on an error by the Beavers. Amy Dreessen, who reached on the error scored on an RBI single by Katie Turner, giving the Mustangs an early 2-0 lead. The Mustangs piled on three more runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 5-0 lead.

Jacey Fry drove in a run with a double down the left field line, scoring Ashley Gigax, who reached on a fielder's choice. Kris Penick delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to give SMSU a 5-0 lead.

SMSU was held scoreless until the fourth inning when Dreessen delivered her second home run of the season on a deep drive over the center field fence. Kristin Braden put SMSU up 8-1 hitting a two-run home run to left center field in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Honken struck out seven batters in the first three innings of the game. She sent the Beavers down in order in the top of the third inning fanning all three BSU hitters. Honken picked up the win in the game while Kelsey Saralampi was tagged with the loss.

Penick, Braden and Scearcy each had two hits for SMSU in the first game.

Game two

The Mustangs jumped out to another early lead in the second game of the doubleheader when Dreessen and Braden attempted a double steal. BSU catcher Megan Bergeson overthrew the third baseman and Braden came around to score the first run of the game.

Bemidji State struck for three runs in the top of the second inning taking a 3-1 lead and knocking SMSU's starting pitcher Cortney Heim out of the game. Honken came into the game in relief with one out and got the Mustangs out of a jam striking out the next two batters.

Honken finished the second game with nine strikeouts in 6-plus innings of work, earning her 10th victory of the season, which marks a career-high.

SMSU brought the score to within one at 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning when Kelsey Kingery scored on a fielder's choice by Dreessen. The Beavers would strike again in the top of the fourth inning before SMSU would inch closer in the bottom half of the inning. Micki Siebring doubled down the left field line scoring Turner who singled to begin the inning.

The Mustangs tied the game at four in the bottom of the sixth inning when Steen scored on a throwing error by the Beavers letting Scearcy reach first.

Honken would set the Beavers down in order in the seventh and eighth innings before Steen hit a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning to give SMSU the win.

Courtney Anderson was tagged with the loss for the Beavers allowing all five runs, two earned.

The win marked the 226th career win for Southwest Minnesota State head coach Shawn Semler. Semler, in his eighth season as the head coach of the SMSU softball program passed former coach Marilyn Strate (225-138) to become the all-time winningest coach at SMSU. Semler has compiled a career record of 226-149 in seven-plus seasons at SMSU.

Southwest Minnesota State will continue NSIC action tomorrow afternoon taking on Minnesota Duluth in a doubleheader beginning at noon at the Regional Event Center in Marshall.