MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team picked up a key win in a NSIC doubleheader split with the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon at Mustang Field.

The Mustangs recorded 10 hits to take the opener 5-3 before suffering a 7-3 loss in game two.

SMSU is now 29-23 overall and 11-15 in conference play, while CSP moves to 22-27 on the year and 14-10 in the NSIC.

A clutch two-out infield single from Grace Anderson scored the first pair of Mustang runs in game one before Karlie Miller forced three groundouts to keep the momentum going.

The Mustangs would pick up right where they left off, scoring twice more in the second with a lead-off double by Miller, putting a runner in scoring position to start the inning. Kaylee Hafermann scored Miller with a single and moved to second base off a sac bunt. Abby Boxrud walked to keep the inning alive for Abby Russell, who delivered another RBI single to put SMSU up 4-0.

A two-out rally in the fourth allowed CSP to score its first run of the game before SMSU responded in the bottom of the fifth using a triple by Lexi Ingalls to take a 5-1 lead.

The Golden Bears scored their second run in the following inning before a walk and error in succession to start the seventh gave CSP a prime opportunity to rally. A RBI single plated the third CSP run before Jordyn Marsh entered to pitch and closed out the game.

Karlie Miller (13-10) earned the win after striking out two in six innings. Jordyn Marsh (10) recorded her 10th save after holding CSP hitless in the final inning.

The Mustangs tallied 10 hits in the win, with Riley Kramolisch and Grace Anderson recording two apiece.

CSP completely flipped the script in game two, piling in eight hits across three innings to jump out to a 6-0 lead heading into the fourth.

The first SMSU run of game two came in the bottom of the fourth when Abby Boxrud scored on a passed ball.

CSP added to its lead in the top of the seventh before SMSU attempted a comeback with a two-out rally, starting with an infield single from Ingalls to move Paris Van Dyke to scoring position. A single through the right side from Hafermann plated Van Dyke and cut the deficit to five runs. In the following at-bat, Riley Kramolisch singled to left center to score another Mustang run and keep the momentum rolling.

The rally would end with a groundout.

Morgyn Otte (10-10) was dealt the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk with a strikeout in 2 2/3 innings. Jordyn Marsh tossed the remainder of the game, allowing an unearned run on four hits and a walk while grabbing a pair of strikeouts.

The doubleheader was the last pair of home games for Mustang seniors Abby Boxrud, Karlie Miller, Morgyn Otte, and Abby Russell.