MANKATO, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (6-19 overall, 1-5 NSIC) fell 5-0 and 11-3 in five innings to the Minnesota State Mavericks (14-11, 4-4) in the MSU Dome on Wednesday afternoon.
 
McKayla Armbruster of MSU twirled a gem in game one, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out eight in a complete game shutout.
 
Abby Russell and Molly Bull recorded the lone hits. 
 
Morgyn Otte (1-7) was dealt the loss in game one, surrendering four runs, all earned, on five hits, walking four and striking out two in 2 2/3 innings. Allison Christians threw the final 3 1/3, giving up an earned run on two hits and two walks while collecting a pair of strikeouts. 
 
The Mustangs opened game two with a Riley Kramolisch single, and after a two-out walk to Jillian Noel, Bull started the scoring with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. 
 
MSU responded in the bottom of the second, tallying five runs on four hits and an error to take a 5-1 lead. 
 
Russell tried to spark the offense in the third, sending a sharp line drive over the left field fence to get within three, and Shelby Bloemendaal picked up an RBI single in the fourth to go down 5-3. 
 
The Mavericks scored five runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth to grow its lead to 10-3, and picked up a two-out RBI single in the fifth to end the game. 
 
Karlie Miller (2-6) received the game two loss, going four innings while allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits and four walks while striking out one. Christians finished the game, allowing an earned run on a hit and a walk in 2/3 innings. 
 
SMSU heads into the weekend taking on MSU Moorhead and Northern State, with dates, times, and locations TBD.