MARSHALL, Minn. -- The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (11-24 overall, 6-10 NSIC) and Minot State Beavers (22-16, 9-7) split a pair of pitcher's duels, with the Mustangs winning 2-1 in game one before the Beavers scored three in the seventh inning to win 3-1 in game two on Monday afternoon at the Schwan Regional Event Center.
After
Shelby Bloemendaal threw a hitless first inning, she helped herself in the bottom of the inning. Following a leadoff triple from
Riley Kramolisch, Bloemendaal smashed an RBI single to left to give SMSU a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third, the Beavers cashed in following a triple of their own with a one-out, RBI single evened the score at 1-1.
Neither team mustered a threat until the fifth inning when
Allison Christians (4-3) was summoned from the bullpen. After the first two Beavers reached, Christians battled, retiring three MISU batters in a row to keep the game tied.
The bats rewarded her in the bottom of the fifth, as back-to-back one-out singles by Bloemendaal and
Abby Russell put the Mustangs in business. After a fielder's choice swapped Bloemendaal for Noel, SMSU moved up a base on a double steal, getting both in scoring position with two down.
Molly Bull became the hero, executing a perfect slash play to single home Russell and bring the game to its final score.
Christians dominated the final two frames, striking out three while sending down six of seven batters faced to collect the win.
SMSU had seven hits in game one, with Bloemendaal and Russell each picking up a pair.
Bloemendaal was dealt a no-decision after allowing an earned run on five hits while striking out one in four innings.
Game two saw a pair of stagnant offenses battling to the finish, as a Noel sac fly was the only run scored through six innings.
The Beavers took control of the game in the seventh, as a one-out RBI double and a two-run little league home run to win the game.
Karlie Miller (4-9) allowed five hits and three runs, two earned, while striking out three in a complete game effort.
The Mustangs head to the Twin Cities on Tuesday, taking on Concordia-St. Paul for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
