TOPEKA, Kan. – The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team closed its opening weekend dropping a pair of games on Sunday at the Washburn Invitational, losing 5-0 to Missouri-St. Louis and 6-2 to No. 20-ranked Washburn (Kan.).
 
SMSU finished the three-day event with a 0-5 record and will return to play on Saturday, March 4, with a doubleheader at Florida Southern in Lakeland, Fla. The two games are the first of 14 the team will play in the state of Florida.
 
In the loss to UMSL, the Tritons (4-5) opened a scoreless game with a four-run third inning behind two singles, a double, a triple and a two-run home run. UMSL added to the lead in the fifth with three singles and a wild pitch to extend the margin to 5-0.
 
SMSU was held to four singles as Jillian Noel, Riley Kramolisch, Katie Palmer and Makenna Waldow each collected one hit.
 
Karlie Miller (0-2) suffered the loss in the circle tossing the complete game, while allowing five runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
 
In the setback to Washburn, the Mustangs opened the scoring in the top of the fourth as Shelby Bloemendaal was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third base following an infield single by Noel and a throwing error. Bloemendaal would later score on a fielder's choice by Kramolisch to give SMSU a 1-0 advantage.
 
The lead didn't last for long as the Ichabods scored four runs on two hits and a pair of Mustang errors in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Washburn would later push across two runs in the sixth to expand the lead to 6-1.
 
SMSU added its last run in the seventh as Palmer started the frame with a walk and moved to third on a double by Paige Ahrendt, before scoring on a ground out by Waldow.
 
WU ace pitcher Jaycee Ginter improved to 12-1 with the win, tossing five innings and allowing one run on two hits.
 
SMSU starter Morgyn Otte (0-2) allowed six runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and three walks in six innings.