SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (16-29 overall, 11-15 NSIC) dropped a doubleheader to the Sioux Falls Cougars (22-23, 13-13) by scores of 7-4 and 4-3 on Thursday afternoon at the Sanford Sports Complex.
Riley Kramolisch opened game one with an infield single, reached second on a sac bunt, and with two outs,
Jillian Noel opened the scoring, singling up the middle to bring her in and open the scoring at 1-0.
The Cougars struck in the bottom in the third, scoring three runs with two outs to take a 3-1 advantage.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, the Mustangs got the runs right back, scoring on an
Abby Boxrud RBI single before scoring two on a single from
Makenna Waldow to lead 4-3.
That lead would drift away in the fifth, as USF scored four runs on three hits and two walks to bring the game to its final score.
The Mustangs had hits from eight of nine starters in game one, with Noel and
Paige Ahrendt each knocking a pair.
Shelby Bloemendaal went four innings in the circle for SMSU, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks while striking out one.
Allison Christians (6-4) was dealt the loss, giving up four runs on two hits and two walks without retiring a batter.
Morgyn Otte threw the final two innings and gave up one hit while striking out one.
The Mustangs opened game two with a bang, as
Abby Russell launched a two-run home run over the left field fence in the first inning to open the scoring.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Cougars looked to have
Karlie Miller figured out after stringing together three one-out singles, but Miller was able to navigate around the threat to hold the two-run lead.
The Cougars did strike for one in the bottom of the third on a two-out solo home run, and did it again in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2.
In the fifth, USF took the lead with another long ball, sending a two-run home run to left to go ahead 4-2.
SMSU tried to climb back in the sixth, as a Russell walk, Noel single, and Bull single with one out loaded the bases.
Katie Palmer followed that by punching a single over the left side of the infield to cut USF's lead to 4-3, but the Mustangs were unable to score another in their final threat of the day.
Miller (6-11) allowed four earned runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three in five innings, while Otte allowed two hits and a walk in a scoreless sixth inning.
The Mustangs had eight hits in the second game, with Russell going 2-2 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored to lead the offense.
SMSU closes the regular season on the road this weekend, taking on Bemidji State on Saturday, Apr. 29, starting at 1 p.m., before the season finale at Minnesota Crookston on Sunday, Apr. 30 at noon.
