AUBURNDALE, Fla.- Southwest Minnesota State struggled hitting again as Florida Southern swept a doubleheader with 4-0 and 5-2 wins over the Mustangs on Tuesday night from the Auburndale Softball Complex.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 1- For the second straight night, Southwest Minnesota State had an opposing pitcher carry a no-hitter into the final inning as Florida Southern gave up just two hits and defeated SMSU 4-0 in the first leg of the doubleheader on Tuesday evening.
SMSU avoided another no-hitter and finally broke through in the hit column during the seventh inning, eventually putting two runners aboard, but the Mustangs were never able to crack the scoreboard in the loss.
Florida Southern's starting pitcher, Brandi Jones, threw a complete game giving up just two hits and one walk with six K's.
Alex O'Connor gave up three earned through five innings of work with six strikeouts as well.
Both teams went hitless through the first two and a half innings before Florida Southern put up all four of its runs in the bottom of the third. Each of the Moccasin's four runs came with two outs in the inning as a single to left field scored the game's first run. After pushing one more across on another single, Florida Southern scored two more runs on a passed ball and an error to finish the third with a 4-0 lead.
Following consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth, SMSU failed to score Tori Brooks, who had advanced to third as a pinch runner with just one out, in the top of the sixth.
SMSU finally notched its first hit of the game in the seventh and a single from
Kaylee Hentges put runners on first and second with two outs, but Jones wrapped up the complete game by forcing
Alex Reak to fly out to end the ball game.
Game 2 Box Score
Game 2- SMSU was outhit 10-5 in the nightcap as Florida Southern completed the sweep of the doubleheader with a 5-2 win to wrap up Tuesday night.
Florida Southern got on the scoreboard first with two separate RBI singles in the bottom half of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Following a lead-off single to open the third, Florida Southern pushed its lead to 3-0 on a SAC fly.
The Mustangs' bats finally came alive in the top of the fifth inning as
Emma Grote doubled to left center and later came around to score the first SMSU run. Grote scored an unearned run on a stolen base after advancing to third on a passed ball.
Sam Flack then doubled to right center to score
Abbie Decker from second bringing SMSU back within one run.
Karmann Carroll led off the sixth with a walk for SMSU, but the Mustangs would strand the runner on first with two strikeouts and a fielder's choice.
Two RBI doubles from Florida Southern gave SMSU a three-run deficit to overcome going into the seventh, but the Mustangs were only able to put one runner on base on a throwing error before the Moccasin's put the game to rest.
Southwest Minnesota State will have Wednesday off and then face Notre Dame College and Southern Indiana on Thursday.
