Game 1
Game 2

MARSHALL Minn.- The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team continued Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference playe on Sunday facing No. 11 Winona State University Warriors. 
 
Winona State (19-6, 8-4 NSIC) would sweep SMSU (16-8, 7-3 NSIC) with scores of 5-1 in game one and 2-1 in game two. 
 
In game one, both teams would use strong defense to keep the game scoreless through four innings. Megan Cull, who pitched seven innings, would record three strikeouts and Jordyn Kleman who also pitch seven innings would earn four strikeouts. The scoreboard would remain at zero until the top of the fourth where Sam Keller would hit a solo homerun and put WSU on the scoreboard.
 
SMSU would answer back in the bottom of the fourth with Emma Grote getting things started for the Mustangs with a single. Kali Tomlinson would ground out to second but would advance Grote to second, then Jullian Noel would repeat and ground out to second, but Grote would make it to third. Lileya Kebos would be the fourth batter for the mustangs this inning and would hit a single, bringing Grote home and tying the game at one. 
 
Winona State would keep the trend alive with Katie Kolb singling, Abbie Hlas woud hit a deep ball into the outfield where she would get a double and also bring Kolb home to put the Warriors back on top 2-1. 
 
Going into the sixth inning Cull would record another strikeout along with Tomlinson hitting her first triple of the 2021 season. 
 
In the seventh inning Winona State would put the game away with Hlas hitting a triple down the right field line with two runners on and WSU would jump up to 4-1. Hlas sitting at third she would make an attempt to steal home getting herself into a pickle, where she would dive for home and be called safe putting up one more run for the Warriors. With pop up to right field and a forced out at second on a fielder's choice by Maysson Schliinz the game would end with Winona State recording nine hits five runs no errors while SMSU would earn one run on three hits also having no errors. 
 
In game two, SMSU would take no time getting on the board holding off WSU in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, Bailey Johnson would keep the momentum going on offense and get a single to right field. Tomlinson would follow a Grote strikeout with a double down the left field line that would bring Johnson to third. Bloemendaal would be walked bring Johnson home, and Schliinz would strikeout swinging. 
 
SMSU would hold its lead for two more innings where Bloemendaal would record her second strikeout of the game. 
 
In the top of the fourth WSU would have Hlas stepup and hit a solo homerun, after a fly ball to center field and a pop-up to second, Keller would step into the batter's box and would hit her second solo homerun on the day and would put WSU up 2-1 over the Mustangs. 
 
Bloemendaal would tack on three more strikeouts in the remaining innings and SMSU would make an attempt to come back late in the bottom of the seventh. Patia Wolfe would walk and WSU would make a pitching change with Kleman coming into relieve Erickson and would go and strikeout both Johnson and Grote to end the game with Winona State recording six hits, two runs and committing one error. SMSU would earn one run with five hits and zero errors.

Shelby Bloemendaal pitched all seven innings for the Mustangs recording a total of six strikeouts.
 
The Mustangs will be back in action on Tuesday going against the No. 1 Augustana Vikings in Sioux Falls, S.D.,  with a start time of 3 p.m. for the twin bill.