Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
 
MARSHALL, Minn. — The Southwest Minnesota State softball team recorded a split today with Minnesota Crookston in NSIC softball. The Mustangs won the first game 11-4, but dropped the final 6-3.
 
Southwest Minnesota State is now 16-25, 12-12 in the NSIC, while Minnesota Crookston is 8-25, 2-21 in the conference.
 
Athena Golling went the distance and picked up the win in game one giving up nine hits, four runs (two earned) and struck out a batter.
 
Alex Reak led SMSU from the plate going 4 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Mackenzie Clouse and Janae Annetts both added a pair of RBIs and combinded for five hits. SMSU finished with 15 hits in the game and left nine on base.
 
SMSU took an early 1-0 lead in the first frame, but UMC came back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 advantage. The Mustangs retook the lead in the third after scoring six runs go up 7-2. The Golden Eagles chipped away at the Mustang lead in the fourth with a two-run home run, but SMSU added insurance runs in the last three innings to secure a 11-4 victory.
 
In game two, Golling hurled the complete game picking up the loss after giving up 13 hits, six runs (four earned) and struck out two batters.
 
SMSU recorded just four hits in the loss, led by Abbie Decker who notch two hits. Sam Flack and Reak both tallied an RBI.
 
The Mustang cruised out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but it did not last long as the Golden Eagles match it with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game up 3-3. Both teams struggled to get runners across, as the game was tied 3-3 going into the seventh. SMSU had two runners on base in the seventh, but fail to get any of them to score. UMC hit a three-run homer with one out in the seventh to pick up a 6-3 victory and to earn the split.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will continue on the road playing Minnesota State on Wednesday starting at 2 p.m.