ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (3-1) would use a big fifth inning and career day at the plate from Jillian Noel to power past St. Cloud State (2-1) 8-4 on Saturday night in non-conference action to conclude day two of the Kelly Laas Invitational in St. Cloud.
 
Jillian Noel would tie a career-high with four hits, going 4 for 4 with a run driven in a run scored, and Morgyn Otte would make her collegiate debut in relief, throwing three shutout innings, recording four strikeouts and collecting the save. 
 
For the fourth consecutive game, the Mustangs would open the scoring, as Noel would knock in Bailey Johnson with a two-out first inning single. The Mustangs would strike again in the second, as Abby Russell would drive in Shelby Bloemendaal with two away to double the SMSU lead to 2-0. 
 
SCSU would find the scoring column in the fourth inning, scoring on a two-base throwing error after a passed ball would get the runner to second. The Huskies offense would break through with two outs in the inning, picking up a two-run single and an RBI double to take a 4-2 lead. 
 
The offensive arsenal would click to open the fifth, as the Mustangs would get three hits in four pitches, with a Noel single, Katy Campbell RBI double, and Emily Tatur RBI single tying the game at 4-4. 
 
The Mustangs would score three consecutive runs without a hit, as a pair of fielder's choices that would not result in an out and a Bailey Johnson groundout would give SMSU a 7-4 lead. 
 
Otte would come out of the pen to make her collegiate debut in the fifth inning, picking up a strikeout with the bases loaded in the fifth to prevent any damages, and then would pick up a strikeout and a lineout with runners on second and third to go into the seventh inning unscathed. 
 
Paige Shwaluk would record an infield single with one out and the top of the seventh, and Bailey Johnson would deliver insurance with a double off the right center field gap to double up SCSU 8-4. 
 
After a flyout to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Otte would give up a pair of walks, but would escape trouble with a huge strikeout and groundout to close the game. 
 
The Mustang bats would stay hot, picking up 11 hits, with Noel and Emily Tatur each having multi-hit games. Campbell and Johnson would each reach base three times, recording a hit and two walks a piece. 

Bloemendahl (2-0) earned the victory tossing the first four innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
 
SMSU will be back in action tomorrow, playing at 11 a.m. against Bemidji State before a rematch with St. Cloud State at 1 p.m.