BOX SCORE: Southern Indiana| Maryville

WINTER HAVEN, Fla., - The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team split its games at the Rebel Spring Games in central Florida on Tuesday with a 9-0 (6) loss to Southern Indiana before defeating Maryville 3-2. SMSU is now 2-10 on the season.

In SMSU's loss to USI, the Mustangs produced just two hits in the game – one from Kaley Scearcy in the first and the other by Karmann Carroll in the third.

USI's Sara Owens held the Mustangs in check in her six innings of shutout work and improved her season mark to 3-1. Owens finished with four punch-outs.

Alex O'Connor (1-5) set down the first six Screaming Eagles to start the game in the first and second, but walked the first two batters and threw a wild pitch to lead off the third inning.  With runners on second and third, O'Connor struck out Sadie Foster, but then USI strung three straight hits together to score three runs. USI tacked on one more run later in the inning to chase O'Connor from the game. Rachel Hoeppner came into the game and got two fly ball outs to end the inning.

USI went into the bottom half of the sixth holding a 5-0 lead and scored four runs on six hits to end the game.

The loss marks the third time SMSU has suffered a loss by the run-rule.

In SMSU's 3-2 win over Maryville, SMSU gained a lead early when the Mustangs put one on the board in the second inning with Morgan Peterson's RBI single to right field that scored Jazmyne Neely from third. Neely led off the inning with a triple to right center – her first three-bagger of the season.

Maryville got the run back and took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Two singles and an error loaded the bases and Karlie Twisselman looped a double down the right field line over the infield and just in front of Neely. The hit scored two and gave the Saints their first lead of the game.   

SMSU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third with singles from Elissa Reinsma, Karmann Carroll and Neely, but couldn't manufacture a run to tie the game.

SMSU did successfully manufacture a run an inning later to tie the game when Emily Olson hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored a tagging Peterson. Peterson led off the inning with a triple to right center – her first of the season.

SMSU loaded the bases in the fifth with three more singles and Rodenkirch tallied an RBI walk that proved to be the difference.  With the bases loaded and nobody out, SMSU failed to increase its lead as the Saints got Stoll to line out, Peterson to strike out and Hoeppner to fly out to left.

SMSU couldn't get an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after getting Alysse Luttmann to third, but O'Connor didn't need it as she set down the Saints in order in the seventh to secure her second victory.

SMSU left nine runners on base in the win.

SMSU (2-10) will be in action tomorrow with games versus Lees McRae and LIU Post.