Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team rallied from a pair of big deficits, including from five runs down in game one, to earn a sweep over the University of Mary on Monday afternoon in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action at Mustang Field.
 
SMSU rallied from a 7-2 deficit to earn a 9-8 eight-inning victory in game one, then scored seven runs in the second inning to battle-back from an early 3-0 deficit to win 11-9 in game two. Kali Tomlinson belted a game-tying three-run homer in the sixth inning of game one to help the Mustangs earn the comeback victory.
 
The Mustangs improve to 23-13 overall, 14-8 NSIC, with the sweep, while the Marauders drop to 6-27 overall, 5-15 NSIC.
 
UMary opened game one taking advantage of an SMSU error to score two unearned runs in the second inning. SMSU answered right back in the home half as Madysson Schliinz came through with a clutch two-out, two-run single to tie the game at 2-2.
 
SMSU struggled defensively in the top of the third, committing three errors, which led to five runs (four unearned) on four hits, as UMary built a 7-2 advantage.
 
SMSU cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third as Tomlinson doubled with one out and scored on a two-out run-scoring single by Lileya Kebos to cut the UMary lead to 7-3.
 
The score remained 7-3 until the fifth when SMSU cut the deficit in half with another clutch two-out hit. Kebos drove in the first run with a ground out before Madison Krog stroked a two-out RBI double to make the score 7-5.
 
UMary added a run in the sixth to build an 8-5 advantage but SMSU came through with a big rally in the bottom of the frame. Schliinz greeted UMary relief pitcher Nicole Eckhardt with a single and with one out moved to second on an infield single by Emma Grote. Tomlinson then stepped to the plate and drilled a three-run home run over the left-center field fence to tie the game at 8-8. It was Tomlinson's team-leading ninth of the season and the 28^th of her career.
 
SMSU left two runners on base in the seventh to send the game into extra innings, while UMary left a pair of runners on in the top of the eighth.
 
The Mustangs pushed across the game-winning run as Grote, Tomlinson and Jillian Noel all singled to load the bases with no outs. Kebos then lofted a shallow fly ball near the first base line that was caught by the second baseman but Grote beat the throw home to score the game winning run.
 
SMSU cracked out season-high 18 hits in the opener with Schliinz recording a career-high four hits, while Tomlinson was 4 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Grote, Krog and Molly Bull all closed the game with two hits.
 
Allison Christians (6-2) earned the victory in relief tossing five innings and allowing just one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Megan Cull started in the circle and lasted three innings and gave up seven hits and just one earned run with five strikeouts.
 
In game two, the Marauders scored three runs on four hits in the top of the first to build an early lead.
 
The Mustangs answered in the second with Krog, Kaylee Hentges and Bull each reaching on singles with Krog scoring on a UMary throwing error. Schliinz cut the score to 3-2 with an RBI single before Grote reached on an infield single to score another run and tie the game at 3-3. Noel stepped up and came through ripping a bases-clearing double and but SMSU in the lead at 6-4. Krog capped the scoring with an RBI double to push the lead to 7-3.
 
UMary scored two runs in the third to make the score 7-5, but SMSU countered with a run in the fifth as Krog doubled and scored on a two-out RBI single by Bull to make the lead at 8-5.
 
UMary wouldn't go away and scored two more runs in the sixth to cut the SMSU advantage to 8-7, but once again SMSU answered in a bigway to add to the lead. Tomlinson doubled to score pinch-runner Patia Wolfe for the inning's first run, before Krog hit a two-run single down the right field line to plate two more runs and extend the lead to 11-7.
 
The insurance runs came through big as the Marauders scored a pair of runs in the seventh and had the tying run at the plate, but a ground out ended the game.
 
Krog closed game two with a career-high four hits, three RBIs and two runs scored. Bull, Tomlinson and Bailey Johnson each had two hits to help the Mustang 14-hit attack.
 
Shelby Bloemendaal (7-6) pitched all seven innings and scattered 11 hits, allowing nine runs (seven earned) with four strikeouts and one walk.
 
Southwest Minnesota State concludes its home season this Saturday and Sunday with St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth coming to town. SMSU and SCSU will meet on Saturday with game time at 1 p.m.