Box Score

ROCHESTER, Minn. – After a hot-hitting game earlier in the day, the ninth-seeded Southwest Minnesota State softball team (19-25) went cold in a 7-0 shutout to No. 2 seed Augustana at the RYSFA Complex on Thursday afternoon in the second round of the NSIC Tournament.
 
No. 9 SMSU faced No. 2 Augustana after a 13-hit comeback victory over No. 8 seed, Upper Iowa, in the play-in game of the double elimination tournament.
 
The Vikings out-hit the Mustangs 15 to 3 in the 7-0 shutout.
 
Emma Grote started the top of the first with a single up the middle but was caught stealing to clear the bases. Both teams then struggled to bring a runner in until the bottom of the third when Augie broke open the game with a huge seven-hit, five-run inning.
 
The Augies scored the first two runs on a two RBI double to right center, followed by an RBI single to a 3-0 lead.
 
SMSU's Shelby Crank took the circle with no outs to give up a two RBI double down the right field line as the Augie's advanced the lead to 5-0 with three complete.
 
Augie's Mary Pardo hit a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs tried to get things going in the top of the fifth as Abbie Decker started the inning with a single through the left side but a strikeout and a double play would cut the inning short.
 
Augie strung together another run in the bottom of the fifth with a one run, two hit inning.
 
In the Mustangs final chance, a ground out, fly ball to left, and a strikeout would end the game.
 
SMSU's Megan Cull (5-10) suffered the loss in the circle, retiring after two innings.
 
Ninth seed Southwest Minnesota State will face the winner of the third-seeded, Minnesota Duluth, and eight-seeded, Upper Iowa at 10 a.m. at the RYSFA Complex to continue play in the double-elimination NSIC Tournament.