MARSHALL, Minn. – Jillian Noel knocked four hits and drove in three runs to push the Mustangs past the Wayne State Wildcats, 6-1 and 3-2, on a warm sunny Wednesday at Mustang Field.
With the win, SMSU ties its win total from the 2023 season and sits at 17-22 overall and 8-8 in the NSIC. WSC drops to 6-30 on the year and 2-10 in conference play.
SMSU pitching held the Wildcats to just three hits in the first game of the doubleheader.
Morgyn Otte (8-9) collected her eighth win of the season allowing just one earned run on two hits and a pair of walks. Otte sat down five batters on strikes.
Karlie Miller (3) entered in the fifth inning when the Mustangs led 4-1, and allowed just one hit to earn her third save of the season.
The Mustangs were the first to score, with
Abby Boxrud getting it started in the second inning. Boxrud shuffled to third when
Brynn Webber laid down a sac bunt before
Paris Van Dyke plated her on a single up the middle, giving SMSU the 1-0 lead.
Wayne State scored its only run of game one in the third inning off a double and single in back-to-back at-bats.
SMSU tallied its next set of runs in the fourth inning, this time it was
Riley Kramolisch who singled to the shortstop to fuel the rally.
Mikayla Berge moved Kramolisch on a sac bunt and
Abby Russell walked to put runners on second and first for
Jillian Noel. Noel drove the ball back up the gut to plate Kramolisch and reclaim the lead for SMSU.
Emma Humpal and
Molly Bull were the next to deliver big hits, knocking back-to-back singles that each plated a runner to give SMSU the 4-1 lead after five innings.
The final pair of Mustang runs came in the next inning after Boxrud once again started the momentum with a single.
Brynn Webber followed suit with a single of her own before
Makenna Waldow pinch-hit and moved the runners with a sac bunt.
This time it was
Riley Kramolisch with a big hit, driving a single to left-center field to plate both runners and seal the deal.
The Mustangs recorded 11 hits in game one with Boxrud, Noel, and Kramolisch each tallying a pair of hits.
The Wildcats prevailed first in game two, scoring right away in the first inning. Jordyn Rochholz reached on a fielder's choice before stealing second then advancing to third on a foul flyout. Mary Krystofiak scored the runner on a single to right field to give WSC its only lead of the afternoon.
The Mustangs responded right away in the bottom half of the inning.
Abby Russell hit a hard ground ball to second base that slipped under the second baseman's glove to put her on first.
Jillian Noel stepped up to the plate and delivered a huge double to left-center that plated Russell and tied the game at 1-1.
Kramolisch singled through the right side to start the third inning before moving to second on a groundout.
Abby Russell singled through the middle and the Wayne State center fielder scooped it up and gunned down Kramolisch at home with a dart from center field.
Jillian Noel stepped up unphased from the previous play, smashing another double to left-center field to score Russell and give SMSU the 2-1 lead.
WSC tied the game in the top of the fourth inning before SMSU responded once again to kill the Wildcats' momentum. In the bottom of the fifth and with two outs,
Abby Russell clutched up with a single up the middle that scored Van Dyke from second.
Karlie Miller (9-11) held the Wildcats to just one hit through the final two innings en route to earning the win. Miller allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven.
SMSU returns to the field on Saturday, April 13, with a doubleheader against Northern State. The first pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m. in Aberdeen, S.D.
