Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State rallied with six runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh with Jillian Noel hitting a walk-off single to earn a 7-6 victory over Minot State in game one of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday at Mustang Field.
 
Minot State used a three-run fourth inning in game two and held on for a 3-2 victory to earn the split.
 
SMSU is now 21-13 overall, 12-8 NSIC, while MISU is 16-16 overall, 9-9 NSIC.
 
In the opener, MISU pushed across single runs in the first and second innings, before scoring three in the third and another in the fourth to build a 6-0 advantage.
 
MISU pitcher Trinity Valentine was cruising into the sixth inning, allowing just two hits through the first innings. SMSU was able to breakthrough in the sixth as Emma Grote reached on a two-out single and scored moments later on an RBI double by Kali Tomlinson to cut the deficit to 6-1.
 
Down 6-1 in the seventh, SMSU came through in a big way as Lileya Kebos, Kaylee Hentges and Madison Krog started the rally with three straight singles to load the bases. Following a ground out and strikeout, SMSU was down to its final out and still trailing by five runs. Bailey Johnson worked a bases loaded walk to plate the first run before Grote hit a run-scoring single to cut the MISU lead to 6-3. Tomlinson then stroked a two-run single to center that was misplayed by the centerfielder to allow Grote to sprint all the way from first base to tie the game at 6-6. Noel followed and came through belting a 3-2 pitch up the middle to score Tomlinson for the walk-off victory.
 
Allison Christians (5-2) earned the win tossing four strong innings in relief, allowing just one run on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Megan Cull started in the circle and lasted three innings giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits.
 
SMSU closed game one with 10 hits as Tomlinson finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored, while Kebos and Grote each collected two hits.
 
In game two, MISU snapped a scoreless game in the fourth inning collecting four hits and scoring three runs.
 
SMSU answered in the home half of the fourth as Tomlinson and Noel started the inning with singles. Following a caught stealing, Noel would advance to third on a ground out, but the Beavers threw the ball away attempting to throw out Noel, allowing the first run of the game to score.
 
SMSU cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth as Molly Bull led-off with a single, moved to second on a sac bunt by Madysson Schliinz before scoring on a base hit by Johnson.
 
The Mustangs attempted a rally in the seventh with a pair of two-out walks, but Valentine closed the game with a strikeout to earn the save.
 
SMSU ended game two with seven hits with Krog leading the way with two hits. Johnson, Tomlinson, Noel, Bull and Schliinz each had one hit.  
 
Shelby Bloemendaal (6-6) made the start in the circle for SMSU and allowed three runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and one walk in six innings.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues play at home on Monday with a doubleheader versus UMary starting at 12 p.m. The two games were originally scheduled for Sunday but were delayed one day due to expected poor weather.