TOPEKA, Kan. - The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (4-6) split a pair of games on day two of the Washburn Invitational on Sunday, drefeating Fort Hays State 4-1 in the afternoon before losing to Emporia State 8-0 in six innings at night.
 
Bloemendaal (3-2) would go the distance in game one, scattering ten hits across seven innings of work, giving up an earned run and striking out a pair in just 93 pitches. 
 
After going four innings without a hit, the Mustangs would strike in the fifth, with a Patia Wolfe bunt single to break the hitless streak following an Emily Tatur walk. 
 
After a Bloemendaal sacrifice bunt, Paige Shwaluk would drive in a run while reaching on a throwing error from the third baseman to give SMSU a 1-0 lead. 
 
Abby Russell would deliver an RBI single to double the Mustang lead at 2-0, and Bailey Johnson would add an RBI off a sac fly to close the fifth inning scoring and give SMSU a 3-0 lead. 
 
Emily Tatur would extend the lead in the sixth, driving in Maddie Shwaluk with an RBI single to add an extra insurance run. 
 
FHSU wouldn't go away in the seventh, loading the bases with just one out in the seventh, but Bloemendaal would shut the Tiger attack down with a fielder's choice to get a runner out at second and concede a run before a lineout to right to end the game. 
 
SMSU would get six hits in game one, while taking advantage of four FHSU errors. 
 
Emporia State opened the scoring of the night cap, delivering a one out base hit to take a 1-0 first inning lead. 
 
The Hornets would tack on in the fifth, getting four runs across to expand their lead to 5-0, while SMSU would leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning. 
 
ESU would add three in the sixth before blanking the Mustangs in the bottom of the inning to close the game. 
 
Karlie Miller (1-4) would get dealt the loss, giving up five runs (all earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out one. 
 
Johnson would finish 2-2 with a single, double and walk, recording two of the four Mustang hits.
 
The Mustangs close their time in Topeka on Monday, taking on Nebraska-Kearney at 10 a.m. before playing the host school, Washburn, at 2 p.m.