Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team used a pair of outstanding pitching performances to sweep past the University of Mary in non-conference action on Friday by scores of 4-0 and 8-0 (six innings) inside the Presentation College Dome.
 
In the opener, Megan Cull tossed a four-hit shutout—the first of her career—registering a career-high 12 strikeouts, while in game two Allison Christians fired a three-hit shutout with a career-high eight strikeouts to help SMSU complete the sweep via run-rule.
 
Kali Tomlinson helped the cause for the Mustangs in game two belting a pair of home runs, while in the opener Lileya Kebos drilled her first career home run to pace the Mustangs to victory.
 
SMSU improves to 9-5 overall and will next be in action opening Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on March 30 at the University of Sioux Falls.  
 
In game one, Cull improved to 5-1 on the season and surpassed her previous career-high of 11 strikeouts set twice during the 2018 season.
 
SMSU started its scoring in the top of the second as Kebos smacked her first career home run to lead-off the inning.
 
The Mustangs added to the lead in the fifth as Shelby Bloemendaal was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to second on a sac bunt by Madysson Schliinz. Bailey Johnson followed with an RBI single to make the score 2-0 and moments later Emma Grote reached on a single and one the play a throwing error by UMary plated another run to give SMSU a 3-0 advantage. Kali Tomlinson closed the inning with an RBI single to score Grote and extend the lead to 4-0.
 
SMSU closed the opener with 11 hits as Grote led the way with three hits and a run scored, while Johnson and Kebos each collected two hits and scored a run.
 
In game two, Christians (2-1) was in complete control as she struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in recording her second career shutout.
 
SMSU broke a scoreless game in the second as Jillian Noel doubled and scored on an RBI double by Kebos. The Mustangs broke the game open in the third with four runs on five hits. Schliinz started the rally with a single and moved to third on a double by Johnson. Following a strikeout, Tomlinson smacked an opposite-field home run to right field to extend the lead to 4-0. Later in the inning Molly Bull reached on an infield single to score Kaylee Hentges and make the score 5-0.
 
Noel pushed the score to 7-0 in the fourth with a two-run single, before Tomlinson ended the game early with a solo home run to start the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
The Mustangs racked up 13 hits in game two with all nine starters collecting at last one hit. Tomlinson finished the game 3 for 4 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Noel and Kebos each added two hits. Johnson's double in the third was the 39^th in her career moving her into a tie with Leslie Oberaigner (1989-92) for second in team history. Amanda Burkhart (2006-09) holds the program record with 42.
 
UMary drops to 1-12 on the season.