WHEELING JESUIT BOX SCORE
INDIANA (Pa.) BOX SCORE

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team went 2-0 on Friday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. picking up a 3-2 win over Wheeling Jesuit University (W. Va.) in nine innings before coming from behind to beat No. 10 Indiana University (Pa.) 13-9.

SMSU (7-3) belted a season-high 17 hits in its win over Indiana (Pa.) who drops to 0-1 on the season. Kris Penick led the Mustangs against IUP picking up a career-high four hits while freshman Shelbie Stoll delivered a season-high four hits. Penick scored two runs and drove in two runs in the game.

Freshman pitcher Rachel Hoeppner won a pitcher's duel in the Mustangs' 3-2 win over Wheeling Jesuit (6-5) tossing all nine innings giving up eight hits and allowing two runs. Hoeppner came into the IUP game in relief of Rachel Groff and earned her fourth win of the season tossing four and one third scoreless innings.

SMSU and Wheeling Jesuit played seven innings of scoreless softball before the Cardinals struck in the top of the eighth inning to take a 1-0 lead. At the Rebel Spring Games, all extra inning games are played under international rules where the final out from the previous inning is placed on second base to begin an inning.

The Mustangs tied the game at one in the bottom of the eighth inning after Christine Borowiak moved Katelyn Kalkman over to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Penick singled down the left field line to even the score.

WJU scored another run in the top of the eighth inning before the Mustangs were able to push two runs across in the home half of the inning to walk away with the 3-2 win. Krista Steen got things going early scoring Rachel Groff, who pinch ran for Ashley Gigax, to tie the game at 2. Kaley Scearcy grounded out to the first baseman to advance Steen to second base and Amy Dreessen singled down the right field line to score Steen to win the game for the Mustangs.

SMSU scored a run in the top of the first and second innings against IUP to take a 2-0 lead before the Crimson Hawks plated four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-2 lead.

The Mustangs came right back in the top of the third inning scoring five runs on four hits. Stoll hit a one-out single in between two walks to load the bases. Kaley Scearcy delivered an RBI single to bring SMSU within one at 4-3. Kalkman followed that with a slap single over the pitcher's head to score Stoll to tie the game. Borowiak then grounded out to second base to score Mogran Peterson who walked earlier in the inning. Penick then delivered a two RBI single up the middle scoring Kalkman and Scearcy to give the Mustangs a 7-4 lead.

The Crimson Hawks fired right back with five runs in the bottom of the third inning on three hits and two errors. Chelsey Evans started the game but lasted just two and one third of an inning allowing eight runs, one earned on six hits. Rachel Groff came in to the game to get an out before Evans was thrown back out in to the circle.

Head coach Missy Bruggeman then turned to freshman pitcher Rachel Hoeppner who came in and threw four and one third scoreless innings to earn her fourth win of the season. Hoeppner allowed just one hit while picking up two strikeouts and set down nine straight batters before allowing a single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

After IUP grabbed a 9-7 lead after three full innings, the Mustangs would continue to crawl back into the game in the next three innings. In the top of the fourth inning, Peterson delivered an RBI single to right field scoring Dreessen who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.

Hoeppner walked two batters in the bottom of the fourth inning but was able to strand both runners on base getting three ground outs in the inning.

After a scoreless fifth inning, SMSU scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 10-9 lead. Stoll delivered a one-out single up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out by Peterson. After SMSU loaded the bases, Borowiak reached on an error by the second baseman, but was thrown out trying to go to second but that allowed two runs to score.

SMSU added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning and Hoeppner was able to shut the door for her fourth win of the season allowing her only hit of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Southwest Minnesota State is off tomorrow, but will return to action on Sunday, March 11, taking on Wayne State (Mich.) at 8 a.m. CT and Northwood (Mich.) at noon CT.