TOPEKA, Kan. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (5-6) would use a third inning boost and clutch pitching from Karlie Miller to defeat the University of Nebraska-Kearney (4-9) 6-5 on Monday morning in non-conference action to open the final day of the Washburn Invitational at Lake Shawnee East in Topeka, Kansas.
 
Bailey Johnson would finish 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI to lead the team offensively, while Jillian Noel would finish 1 for 3 with a home run, and Karlie Miller (1-4) would settle in after a shaky first inning to go the distance, giving up five runs (all earned) on nine hits and four walks while striking out a career-high 10 batters. 
 
The Lopers would open the scoring, delivering a pair of two-out hits to drive in three runs in the first inning. 
 
SMSU would begin to chip away in the bottom of the inning, as the Mustangs would take advantage of an error to drive in a run and trail 3-1. 
 
The Mustangs would in the fourth, as Johnson would drive in Russell with an RBI double to trail 3-2. 
 
Noel would take the lead two batters later, taking a 1-0 pitch the other way, going over the fence in right center to give SMSU a 4-3 lead. 
 
The Mustangs would strike again in the fourth, as Russell would shoot the left center gap for a double, driving in Paige Shwaluk and Patia Wolfe to double up the Lopers at 6-3. 
 
Miller had settled in after a shaky first inning, throwing just five balls while facing 10 batters in the second, third and fourth innings. 
 
The Lopers wouldn't go away without a fight, loading the bases on a single and two walks after a leadoff out in the fifth, and then score a pair of runs on a base hit to cut into the Mustangs lead at 6-5. 
 
Just as UNK would gain momentum, Miller would shut it down, striking out the next two batters to hold the lead, and then would send the Lopers down in order in the sixth with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout. 
 
UNK would see two runners reach base with two outs in the seventh, but Miller would shut the door with two strikeouts to preserve the victory.
 
The Mustangs close out their time in Topeka with a game against Washburn University around 2:45 at Gahnstrom Field