MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team put on a show in its return to Mustang Field by sweeping the MSU Moorhead Dragons in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
The Mustangs won the first game in six innings, 8-0, before completing the sweep with a 3-0 win in game two.
SMSU jumps to 26-20 on the year and 8-12 in the NSIC, while MSUM falls to 14-33 overall and 6-14 in conference play.
The Dragons fell in quick succession in the first inning before the Mustangs capitalized on an error to load the bases early in the game. A muffed ball at home prompted the SMSU runner on third to dash home, but a quick recovery by the MSUM catcher eliminated the threat.
Both pitchers kept the offenses in check through the following three frames until SMSU finally broke through in the bottom of the third. Three singles loaded the bases before
Riley Kramolisch plated the first run after beating a throw home on a fielder's choice.
Each team's pitcher would hold each offense in check across the fifth and sixth innings, with the Mustangs retaining a 1-0 lead. MSUM would threaten in the top of the sixth as Jessie Henry and Avery Steffen singled before a Mustang error put both runners in scoring position with one out. However, Mustang ace
Karlie Miller earned a pair of groundouts to get out of the jam unscathed.
The Mustangs found more offensive success in the bottom of the sixth, scoring seven runs on four hits. A lead-off walk and double placed a pair of runners in scoring position and forced a MSUM pitching change.
Kaylee Hafermann walked to load the bases before Kramolisch was hit by a pitch, scoring the first SMSU run of the inning.
A second walk plated
Lexi Ingalls before another pitching change saw
Abby Russell rip a ball down the left field line to add two more runs and put SMSU up 5-0. Humpal singled to load the bases once more for
Grace Anderson, who landed a sac fly into left field to give the Mustangs a 6-0 lead.
Brynn Webber capped off the scoring frenzy by beating out a diving infielder to allow two more runs to cross the plate.
SMSU totaled eight hits in game one, with Russell, Humpal, and Ingalls each recording two. Webber and Russell logged two RBI apiece.
Karlie Miller (11-9) earned the win after tossing a complete game shutout. Miller allowed just four hits and one walk, while striking out four.
Abby Russell began game one by pulling off an athletic double play, moving nearly all the way to third base to make a catch before firing the ball across the diamond to nab the returning Dragon at first.
SMSU used the momentum from the big defensive play to score its first run in the bottom half of the inning off an
Emma Humpal sac fly.
In the second, a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the third time on the day before a groundout ended the inning.
It was not until the fourth inning that the Dragons saw their second hit as Avery Steffen picked up a one-out single. Steffen would get into scoring position with two outs, but would be stranded there.
After the Dragons went hitless in the top of the fifth, a critical error and wild pitch gave the Mustangs two more runs before
Jordyn Marsh shut MSUM down.
The Mustangs recorded four hits in the second game, split evenly between four batters.
Morgyn Otte (9-8) earned the win in game two after tossing five scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Jordyn Marsh picked up her eighth save after striking out a batter and limiting the Dragons to only one hit through the last two innings.
SMSU returns to the field tomorrow for a doubleheader against Northern State, with the first pitch set for noon at Mustang Field.
