WINTER HAVEN, Fla – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team suffered a pair of tough losses on Tuesday, losing 3-2 to the West Virginia Wesleyan College Bobcats before a 10-0 run-rule loss to the No. 5-ranked Grand Valley State Lakers at the DiamondPlex.
 
In game one the Mustangs started hot, with Miller quickly retiring the side in the top of the first. Brynn Webber fought out of a 2-2 count to draw a walk before she stole second to get into scoring position. After a seven-pitch at-bat, Abby Russell singled to left-center to score Webber and put the Mustangs up 1-0.

An errant throw to first by the shortstop advanced Russell to third and put Jillian Noel on first. Russell scored the next play following another error from the shortstop, giving SMSU the 2-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs' momentum stalled there, with all batters grounding out in the second inning. WVWC got to work at the top of the third. With a runner on first, Andie Dizon swung on the first pitch and belted the ball in the left-center gap to score the runner. With two outs and runners on the corners, Carlee Ianno also swung on the first pitch to single to left field and tie the game 2-2.
 
The action in the game fell quiet until the top of the fifth inning. WVWC singled twice through the right side to put runners on the corners before Karlie Miller made a gutsy play the following at-bat, tagging the runner going home to prevent a run. However, the hustle only stopped the Bobcats' rally for a moment, as Ianno again delivered a single to plate Dizon.
  
The Mustangs were held to only two hits for the remainder of the game.  
 
Kendall Stoffel (2-2) earned the win for WVWC, allowing just two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four. Miller (3-3) was dealt the loss in game one, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five in a complete game.
 
Russell went 2 for 2 to lead the offense, driving in one and drawing a walk. 
 
Jordan Bussey (0-2) threw against the No. 5-ranked Lakers, allowing 10 runs (six earned) on seven hits with seven walks. 

GVSU blasted a two-run homer to left field in the first, scored twice on a ground-rule double in the second, took advantage of errors in the third to tack on three more runs, and scored its final run in the fourth on an RBI single to second.
 
Abby Russell, Abby Boxrud, and Makenna Waldow all tallied a hit in the loss. 
 
The Mustangs continue play in THE Spring Games tomorrow, taking on College of Staten Island (N.Y.) at 3:15 p.m., before facing off with Notre Dame College (Ohio) at 5:30 p.m., in Auburndale, Fla., at the Auburndale Softball Complex. Both games are listed in central time.