CLERMONT, Fla. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team earned two more victories on Thursday morning at THE Spring Games played at Legends Way Field, pushing its winning streak to eight in a row, defeating West Virginia Wesleyan, 6-3, and Salem (W. Va.), 7-1.
The eight-game winning streak is the program's longest since winning 10 in a row during the 2009 season. SMSU is 9-7 overall and has won all six games during its 16-game spring trip.
In the win over West Virginia Wesleyan, the Mustangs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second inning.
Riley Kramolisch started the home half of the first with a leadoff walk and later scored on a two-out RBI single by
Paris Van Dyke.
In the second inning, Miller singled to start the frame, moved to second on a hit by pitch to
Lexi Ingalls, before scoring on a fielder's choice by Kramolisch.
The Bobcats (2-14) pushed across three runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead behind a two-out, three-run double.
The deficit was short-lived however as the Mustangs rallied in the bottom of the third to regain the lead.
Emma Humpal hammered a double to open the inning. An infield single by
Brynn Webber and a hit by pitch by Miller loaded the bases before Ingalls tied the game with an RBI ground out. A walk to
Kaylee Hafermann reloaded the bases before Kramolisch delivered a two-run single to give the Mustangs a 5-3 advantage.
The Bobcats threatened in the top of the sixth putting two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Mustang relief pitcher
Jordyn Marsh came on and worked out of the jam with a fly out.
SMSU added a big insurance run in the sixth with Hafermann coaxing a leadoff walk before moving to second on a sac bunt by Kramolisch and coming around to score on an RBI single by
Abby Russell.
Miller (5-3) earned the victory firing 5 2/3 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Marsh earned the savea with 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief.
Humpal led SMSU's seven-hit offense with two hits, while Kramolisch added three RBIs.
In game two versus Salem (4-2), the Mustangs used a strong combined pitching performance from
Morgyn Otte and Marsh to earn the victory. Otte (3-2) allowed one unearned run in four innings, allowing four hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Marsh tossed three shutout innings with three strikeouts to secure her second save of the day and third of the season.
SMSU opened the scoring in the second with Webber reaching via single and scoring on an RBI single by Hafermann. Following a stolen base by Hafermann and a throwing error by the Tigers, Kramolisch made the score 2-0 with an RBI infield single to plate Hafermann.
The Mustangs took advantage of a two-out dropped fly ball in the fourth to score two unearned runs and push the lead to 4-0.
The Tigers scored an unearned run in the fourth, but the Mustangs regained the four-run lead in the fifth with Humpal working a leadoff walk and later scoring on a sac fly by Marsh.
The margin would expand to 7-1 in the seventh as Marsh came through again smacking a two-run single to score Van Dyke and Humpal.
Van Dyke led the Mustang 10-hit offense with a career-high four hits with Marsh finishing with three RBIs.
SMSU continues play on Friday with a 1 p.m. CST game versus St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) and a 3:30 p.m. CST match-up versus Dominican (N.Y.).
