SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team earned its first two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victories on Monday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from Minnesota Crookston, 3-1 and 8-0 in six innings inside the American State Bank Sports Dome.
 
SMSU, which lost two games to open NSIC play on Sunday to Bemidji State, improves to 11-16 overall, 2-2 NSIC.
 
In game one, Karli Miller (6-8) tossed a complete game five-hitter, allowing one first inning run, while recording three strikeouts with one walk and one hit by pitch.
 
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first, SMSU quickly tied the score behind a Riley Kramolisch leadoff single and an RBI double from Abby Russell.
 
SMSU took the lead in the second with Brynn Webber starting the rally with a lead off single before stealing second and moving to third on a ground out. Abby Boxrud slapped an infield single to score Webber, before stealing second with two outs and coming around to score on a clutch two-out run-scoring single by Riley Kramolisch.
 
The run support was plenty for Miller, who allowed just two baserunners from the third through sixth innings. The Golden Eagles (7-21, 0-4 NSIC) put together a rally in the seventh, putting the tying run on base with two outs, but Miller coaxed a ground out on a 3-2 pitch to seal the victory.
 
SMSU held a 7-5 hit advantage in the opener with Kramolisch finishing with two hits, while Russell, Webber, Boxrud, Molly Bull and Jillian Noel each had one hit.
 
In game two, Morgyn Otte (5-6) fired her second shutout of the season, scattering four hits in six innings with three strikeouts and one walk.
 
Noel drove in a career-high five runs and tied a career-high with four hits to pace the Mustang offense.
 
Kramolisch started the Mustangs' first rally of the game with a leadoff bunt single and moved to second on a bunt single by Mikayla Berge. With one out, Noel gave SMSU the lead with a two-run double to left-center field.
 
SMSU moved the lead to 4-0 in the third with Noel smacking a two-run single to plate Kramolisch and Russell.
 
Emma Humpal pushed the margin to 5-0 in the fourth belting her first career home run over the left-center field fence.
 
The Mustangs would seal the victory via run-rule in the sixth with Paige Ahrendt delivering a two-run single and Noel collecting another RBI base hit to give the Mustangs the 8-0 victory.
 
SMSU closed game two with 11 hits as Kramolisch joined Noel in the multi-hit club finishing 3 for 3 with three runs scored, while Berge, Ahrendt, Humpal and Bull had one hit apiece.
 
SMSU continues NSIC play this Friday with two games at Minot State and two more on Saturday at the University of Mary.