Box Score Game One | Box Score Game Two
 
MINOT, N.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (17-19, 12-12 NSIC) split with Minot State  (22-19, 11-13 NSIC) after taking the first game 4-1 in game one and falling 9-8 in the eighth inning when Minot State hit a walk-off RBI single for the victory on Saturday afternoon.
 
Game One
 
Minot State went on the board in the bottom of the second with a solo homer to right center for a 1-0 lead.
 
It wasn't until the Mustangs responded to tie the game in the top of the fifth with an RBI-single from Sara DeSmet to score Kristin Neumann, pinch runner for Alex Reak.
 
SMSU then started the top of the sixth with a double from Kaylee Hentges to right center. Hentges was brought in by an RBI-single from Kali Tomlinson to center field to gain the lead. The Mustangs then drove in two more runs with a two-RBI single from Alex Reak to score Abbie Decker and Tomlinson to secure the victory.
 
Athena Golling  (10-9) tossed all seven innings with four strikeouts.
 
Both Decker and Reak led the team offensively with two hits apiece.
 
Game Two
 
The Mustangs were the first to score in game two in the top of the second with an RBI-single from Madison Krog to score Decker.
 
The Beavers responded with a huge six-run, three-hit bottom of the third inning.
 
The Mustangs rallied in the top the fourth to score three runs of their own with a two-RBI single from Decker. Decker was then brought in by a fielding error.  
 
It was then a rally as both teams scored runs and would put the Mustangs down 8-6 heading into the top of the seventh.
 
The Mustangs started the top of the seventh with a single up the middle from Bailey Johnson, who was brought in by a fielding error by the Beavers.
 
With one out, Reak hit a double to right field to score Decker to tie the game at 8-8.
 
Krog followed to ground to short stop, followed by DeSmet reaching base by a hit by pitch although the Mustangs would strand both runners to head into the bottom of seventh with a locked game.
 
After walking the first runner in the bottom of the seventh, Shelby Crank and the Mustnags retired the next three batters to force the game into extra innings.
 
SMSU was unable to score in the top in the eighth and would not receive another chance as the Beavers started the inning putting their first runner on base on a fielding error followed by back-to-back hits to bring the final run needed to take the game 9-8.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hosts Concordia-St. Paul on Wednesday afternoon for the final home game at 2 and 4 p.m. at Mustang Field.