MANKATO, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (1-2 overall) dropped a pair of games on Sunday afternoon to close its opening weekend at the Minnesota State Dome Invite.
SMSU first played Emporia State (1-5 overall), a MIAA school, suffering an 11-0 loss in five innings.The Hornets' Josie Harrison pitched a gem against SMSU, allowing just one hit with no walks while striking out three in a complete game shutout.
Jillian Noel recorded the lone hit for the Mustangs. ESU tallied 12 hits between eight players.
Morgyn Otte (0-1) was dealt the loss to the Hornets, surrendering nine runs (seven earned), on eight hits, while walking three batters in 1 1/3 innings. In her first collegiate appearance,
Jordan Bussey threw the final 3 2/3 innings, giving up no earned runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out four.
The Mustangs then played tournament host Minnesota State (5-1 overall) in a non-conference contest, falling 11-3 in six innings.
Brynn Webber batted finished 2 for 3 in the game, tallying a run scored and recording both hits for the Mustangs.
Abby Russell and
Riley Kramolisch added runs as well.
SMSU got the ball rolling right away against MSU in the first inning with
Riley Kramolisch getting on base from an error and advancing to third following a
Brynn Webber single to left field.
Abby Russell then walked to load the bases for
Jillian Noel, who reached first on a fielder's choice to score Kramolisch and give SMSU a 1-0 lead.
With the bases still loaded
Molly Bull grounded out to second base, scoring Webber and advancing Noel and Russell.
Abby Boxrud followed suit, grounding out to the pitcher and plating a third run to extend the lead to 3-0.
MSU countered in the bottom half of the inning, beginning its stretch of 11 unanswered runs. MSU's Kylie Sullivan led off with a double to center and moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt from Ellie Tallman. Courtney Kessler knocked Sullivan home on a single to left and Kessler scored on an error, making the score 3-2 after one frame.
SMSU maintained the lead until a big fourth inning for MSU put the Mustangs in a big deficit. The Mavericks scored eight runs on seven hits in the inning to build a 10-3 advantage.
The Mustangs tallied just one more hit in the final two innings before the Mavericks put the game away in the bottom of the sixth scoring another run to win via run-rule.
Karlie Miller (1-1) was dealt the loss, allowing 10 runs (nine earned), on eight hits, while walking four in 3 2/3 innings.
Morgyn Otte pitched two innings in relief, allowing one earned run on three hits with three walks.
UP NEXT
SMSU returns to action in Sioux Center, Iowa, with a doubleheader versus William Jewell (Mo.) on Sunday, Feb. 18, and a doubleheader against Truman State (Mo.) on Monday, Feb. 19
