Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State used a pair of strong pitching performances to sweep past Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference college softball on Saturday, winning 6-0 and 8-2, in games played at the Presentation College Dome.
 
The games were moved indoors due to poor weather and field conditions in Aberdeen.
 
SMSU is now 10-17 overall, 5-7 NSIC, while NSU improves to 17-13 overall, 7-3 NSIC.
 
In game one, NSU's Jamie Fisher tossed a six-hit shutout with two strikeouts and one walk. The Wolves opened a 1-0 lead with a four-run fourth inning and never looked back in snapping SMSU's four-game winning streak.
 
SMSU's best chance to break the shutout came in the sixth, loading the bases with a pair of singles and a walk, but Fisher worked out of the jam with a ground out to keep SMSU scoreless.
 
Madison Krog was the offensive leader for the Mustangs finishing 3 for 3, and tying a career-high for hits in a game.
 
Shelby Crank (5-6) suffered the loss for SMSU in the circle as she fired three-plus inning and allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Athena Golling tossed the final three innings and allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks.   
 
In game two, NSU snapped a scoreless game with a four-run second inning off of Mustang starter Megan Cull (2-7).
 
SMSU quickly answered in the top of the third with RBI singles by Emma Grote and Bailey Johnson to cut the NSU lead in half at 4-2. Fisher came on in relief to record the final out of the inning and pitched the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits, to earn the victory.
 
NSU came right back with three more runs in the bottom of the third to extend the lead to 7-2, before scoring its final run in the fourth inning.
 
Cull finished the game tossing three innings and allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits with one walk. Crank pitched the final three innings and gave up one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
 
SMSU was limited to six hits in the game with Mackenzie Clouse (double) and Kali Tomlinson (triple) collecting the only extra base hits for the Mustangs.
 
Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Augustana starting at 3 p.m.