Game 1
Game 2
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Southwest Minnesota State Bailey Johnson hit a go-ahead three-run home run in game one to help lead the Mustangs a 10-7 victory over Northern State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball on Sunday. NSU would rally back in game two to salvage the split with a 6-4 victory.

The Mustangs earning their second split of the weekend improve to 18-12 overall, 9-7 NSIC. The Wolves would end the weekend with two splits as well improving to 20-10 overall, 11-5 NSIC.  
 
In game one, the Mustangs would set the pace for the game with Johnson reaching on an error by third base and after Kali Tomlinson singling to left field. Jillian Noel would single down the middle and bring home Johnson putting the Mustangs up 1-0 early in the top of the first. Later in the inning Kaylee Hentges would single to the pitcher and bring home Tomlinson giving her team a 2-0 lead.
 
NSU would take no time answering back with the Wolves scoring a run in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
After a scoreless second inning NSU would find a grove and score two more runs, the first coming off of a sac fly and the second coming from an error committed by SMSU, putting the Wolves in driver seat with a 3-2 lead. NSU would continue in the fourth added another run to build a 4-2 advantage.
 
SMSU would find traction in the fifth with Molly Bull reaching first on an error, then Patia Wolfe getting to first on a bunt single. Johnson would step up to the plate and would smack the three-run home run, marking her fourth home run on the season.
 
The scoring wouldn't end with Johnson though, Kali Tomlinson would single to center field and bring home Emma Grote. After a NSU pitching change, SMSU would score two more runs off of a throwing error by the third baseman bringing home Tomlinson and Noel.
 
To start the bottom of the fifth inning Allison Christians would come into pitch for Cull. NSU would respond with scoring two runs cutting SMSU's lead to two, Christians would end the scoring with a 1-3 putout leaving three NSU baserunners stranded.
 
In the sixth inning, Noel would single bringing home Grote and then SMSU would score another run with Tomlinson scoring on a fielder's choice by Madysson Schliinz to plate SMSU's fifth unearned run of the game.
 
NSU would not let off the pressure scoring another runner in the sixth cutting SMSU's lead to three with one inning remaining. SMSU would hold on with Christians registering two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh to secure the game.
 
SMSU would end game one with 14 hits with four Mustangs having multi-hit games. Tomlinson and Grote would finish with three hits, with Tomlinson scoring three runs and one RBI, Grote recording two runs scored. Johnson and Kebos would both score two runs and two hits. Cull would earn the win recording five strikeouts and allowing seven hits in four innings, while Christians would earn her second save on the season pitching three innings in the circle with two strikeouts.
 
In game two, the game would remain scoreless before NSU scored two runs off a single in the bottom of the third.
 
NSU would tack onto its lead in the fifth inning bringing a runner home off of a single to right field and making the score 3-0.
 
In the sixth inning Tomlinson would lead off for the Mustangs and hit a double to the right side and be followed up by Noel hitting a single in the same direction and bringing Tomlinson home to get SMSU on the board, trailing 3-1.
 
The Wolves would keep their bats swinging in the sixth inning with two outs scoring three more runs pushing the lead to 6-1.
 
SMSU would cut the deficit to two in the seventh inning with Tomlinosn reaching on an error bringing home Lauren Klein, then Noel would follow with a double to center field to score both Grote and Tomlinson to cut the lead to 6-4. Molly Bull would strike out swinging on a full count ending game.
 
The Mustangs totaled eight hits with Noel leading with three hits and three RBIs. Shelby Bloemendaal started in the circle for SMSU and allowed 12 hits in six innings with four strikeouts.
 
The Mustangs will be back in action on Wednesday returning home to take on Wayne State in a midweek NSIC doubleheader. Game one is slated to start at 1 p.m. at Mustang Field.