BISMARCK, N.D.- Southwest Minnesota State (16-16, 7-9 NSIC) scored three runs in the top of the fourth to defeat the University of Mary (14-27, 8-8 NSIC), 4-1 in game one but fell, 5-1 to finish with a split in its first doubleheader of the weekend on Friday afternoon.

Game 1 Box Score
Game 1 Recap
SMSU's eight hits came from eight different players in the Mustangs' lineup as SMSU scored three unearned in the fourth inning which would prove to be enough for their seventh NSIC victory on the year.

Alex O'Connor pitched her 10th complete game of the season tossing nine strikeouts while giving up just six hits on the afternoon. After entering the day as the Mustangs' leader in earned run average (2.57), O'Connor gave up just one earned run on a solo homer.

It was U-Mary who got the scoring started with the solo home run in the bottom of the third.

All four runs for SMSU came unearned as U-Mary suffered from four errors in the contest.

The Mustangs responded with three two-out runs in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. The Mustangs used two U-Mary errors and three hits in the inning as SMSU scored two runs off of a single from Karmann Carroll which was followed up by an RBI single from Kaylee Hentges.

SMSU would add another unearned run in the top of the sixth and O'Connor held the Marauders to just three hits and zero runs through the final four innings.

Game 2 Box Score
Game 2 Recap
SMSU gave up two runs in the first and third innings surrendering four timely extra base hits as U-Mary won game two, 5-2 despite the Mustangs outhitting the Marauders, 9-8.

 With one out, U-Mary used a a double and triple in back-to-back at bats to take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

The Mustangs managed just one hit through the first three innings while U-Mary had an RBI triple and an immediate sac fly double its lead over SMSU to 4-0 in the bottom half of the third.

SMSU saw its bats come alive as the game went along with two hits in the fourth and finally scoring its first run of the game off of three hits in the fifth. Kaylee Hentges led off the fifth inning with a single and later came around to score the first SMSU run on a single from Taylor Koloc.

U-Mary answered in the bottom half of the fifth inning with an RBI double to make its lead 5-1.

After being unable to take advantage of a Madison Krog double in the sixth, SMSU started a late rally in the seventh inning with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning.

Hentges would come around to score one run for SMSU but at the cost two outs on a fielder's choice and a sac fly. Madison Jahner finished off her complete game performance from the circle with a foul out to end the doubleheader in a split.

The Mustangs will now travel to Minot, N.D., to play Minot State tomorrow afternoon beginning at 12 p.m.