FAYETTE, Iowa – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (6-15 overall, 1-1 NSIC) opened NSIC action on Sunday afternoon, falling 11-6 before scoring seven two-out runs on its way to an 8-6 victory against Upper Iowa (9-13 overall, 1-3 NSIC) at Eischeid Softball Complex. The Mustangs served as the home team for both games due to site reversal.
Upper Iowa scored the first four runs of game two, taking their lead into the bottom of the fourth inning.
Abby Boxrud provided a foreshadowing at bat in that half inning, reaching on a two-out single to bring a little life to the Mustang bats.
Paige Ahrendt followed with a clutch double to left field, getting the Mustangs on the board, trailing 4-1.
Karlie Miller sent the Peacocks down in order in the fifth inning, and the Mustangs opened the bottom of the inning with a single and a fly ball double play.
Riley Kramolisch kept the inning alive with a double, and
Shelby Bloemendaal followed it up with a double of her own, scoring Kramolisch and inching within two at 4-2.
Jillian Noel,
Molly Bull, and Boxrud strung three singles right after to tie the score, and both Bull and Boxrud came around to score while Ahrendt reached on an error to give the Mustangs a 6-4 lead.
After a
Katie Palmer walk extended the inning,
Makenna Waldow, who hit the inning-opening single, delivered another, this time scoring Ahrendt and completing the six-run comeback inning, putting the Mustangs ahead 7-4.
The Peacocks marched back with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but Noel sent a scorching line drive over the left field fence to put the Mustangs ahead 8-6.
UIU threatened in the seventh inning, getting a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs, but
Abby Russell drew a baserunner interference for the final out to secure the win.
The Mustangs scattered 13 hits in the game two victory, with Kramolisch, Noel, Boxrud, Ahrendt, and Waldow knocking two apiece.
Karlie Miller (2-4) earned the win, allowing six runs (three earned) on 13 hits and four walks while striking out seven in a complete game effort.
In the game one, the Mustangs took control early. After falling behind 1-0 into the second inning, SMSU got runners on the corners with one out. Ahrendt delivered an RBI single, scoring Noel, and Palmer laid down a sac bunt to score Boxrud and take a 2-1 lead.
Waldow followed it up with an RBI single to score Ahrendt, and Russell and Kramolisch both drove in runs with two outs to put the Mustangs ahead, 5-1.
UIU took control the rest of the way, outscoring the Mustangs 10-1 in the final five innings to secure the game one victory.
Ahrendt and Waldow each picked up three hits in game one, while Boxrud and Bull each had a pair.
Shelby Bloemendaal started in the circle, allowing six runs, all earned, on 10 hits and no walks while striking out four in three innings of work.
Morgyn Otte (1-5) earned the loss in relief, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three in the final four innings.
SMSU retakes the diamond on Monday, facing off with Winona State for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., in Winona. The Mustangs will, again, serve as the home team for both games.
