Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MANKATO, Minn. – The No. 17-ranked Minnesota State softball team put together a pair of dominating performances at the plate and in the circle in earning a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader sweep over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday by scores of 14-0 and 14-0.
 
SMSU, which drops to 25-17 overall, 16-12 NSIC, was limited to seven combined hits in the two games. MSU improves to 32-7, 21-5 NSIC.
 
The Mustangs conclude the regular season on Sunday with a key 12 p.m. doubleheader at Concordia-St. Paul. The Mustangs, currently in sixth place in the NSIC standings with CSP in fifth place at 16-10, must sweep the Golden Bears on Sunday to move into fifth place. The 10-team NSIC Tournament begins on Thursday in Rochester, Minn.
 
On Saturday, MSU pitcher Mackenzie Ward was dominate as she carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Lileya Kebos was able to break the no-hit bid with a single and was followed by singles by both Jillian Noel and Kaylee Hentges to load the bases, but three straight strikeouts ended the game and preserved the shutout.
 
Ward finished the game with nine strikeouts and walked one batter.
 
Megan Cull (12-6) started in the circle for SMSU and lasted one inning allowing three runs on four hits. Allison Christians pitched two innings with Tory Villotta tossing one inning.
 
In game two, the Mavericks snapped a scoreless game with a six-run second inning with five hits and one SMSU error off Mustang starting pitcher Shelby Bloemendaal. MSU put the game away in the third with seven more runs on seven hits and one SMSU error.
 
Bloemendaal (7-7) pitched all four innings and surrendered six earned runs on 14 hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
 
Madison Krog, Molly Bull, Madysson Schliinz and Noel each had one hit in the loss.  
 
Three MSU pitchers combined on the four-hitter with five strikeouts.