GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State (15-9, 3-1 NSIC) fought back to earn a 4-3 victory over Minnesota Duluth (12-12, 1-3 NSIC) in the second game of a doubleheader to earn a series split. The Bulldogs won the first game 5-4 in an 11-inning thriller at the Regional Event Center.

Minnesota Duluth's Sammie Gardner hit a lead-off home run in the top of the 11th inning of game one to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 edge over the Mustangs. Megan Mullen pitched four innings of relief for the Bulldogs earning her fifth win of the season. Chelsey Evans, who pitched two innings in relief for SMSU was tagged with the loss.

Ali Honken started for the Mustangs in the circle. Honken pitched nine innings for SMSU giving up eight hits and four runs, all earned.

SMSU held a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning before the Bulldogs tagged on three runs to taking a 4-3 lead over the Mustangs. The Bulldogs hit two ground-rule doubles in the inning, one of which was good for two runs. Mandy Matula drove in two runs on a ground-rule double and later scored on a single.

The Mustangs tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when freshman Kaley Scearcy hit her first career home run which eventually sent the game into extra innings. Scearcy drove the ball to opposite field in left center knotting the game at four.

Krista Steen, Christing Borowiak and Scearcy each had two hits for SMSU in game one. Steen picked up two RBIs on a ground-rule double in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Game two

SMSU grabbed an early lead in the second inning of game two when Borowiak led off the inning with a run-scoring single. She singled to left field and the UMD left fielder overran the ball which rolled all the way to the fence. Borowiak circled the bases to put SMSU up 1-0.

With two outs in the second inning Kristin Braden belted her second home run of the season over the left center field fence. Minnesota Duluth answered in the top half of the third inning on a home run by Ashley Johnson to make the score 2-1 in favor of SMSU.

The Bulldogs scored a run in the next two innings taking a 3-2 lead into the sixth inning. Steen began the Mustangs half of the inning with a sharp single to center field. Two batters later, the Mustangs took a 4-3 lead on a two-run blast by Katie Turner. The home run marks Turner's second blast of the season.

Evans gave up a hit in the Bulldogs half of the seventh inning before slamming the door shut to earn her second win of the season. Evans now owns a record of 2-2 in the circle for SMSU this season.

Southwest Minnesota State will continue NSIC action on Tuesday, April 5 hosting Augustana (SD) in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.