MANKATO, Minn. - With three RBIs batting, and a complete game on the mound, Jordyn Marsh was the catalyst for the Southwest Minnesota State softball team (3-2) as they defeated the Minnesota State Mavericks (2-1) for the time since 2018, and the fourth time since 2010.
Marsh (3-0) picked up her third complete game of the season, allowing four runs (three earned), seven hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. Marsh was also one of five Mustangs with two or more hits in the game, along with Riley Kramolisch, Grace Anderson, Aliza Acker, and Emma Humpal.
The Mustangs kicked off the scoring early with a 2-run single into center field that allowed Kramolisch and Anderson to score.
MSU's Izzy Hycnar put the Mavericks on the board in the third inning after a 10-pitch at-bat with two outs, leaving the score after three 2-1 favoring SMSU.
Emma Humpal extended the Mustangs lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning before Marsh hit a 2-run double off the outfield wall to make the score 5-1 in favor of the Mustangs.
Maddie Oetzman hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning shortening SMSU's lead to 5-2 entering the final inning.
The Mustangs blew the doors off the hinges in the seventh inning, scoring four runs in the top of the inning, including a Kramolisch RBI triple and a pair of RBI base hits for Anderson and Humpal.
Maddie Helin hit a two-run consolation home run for the Mavericks, which ended the scoring at 9-4 for the Mustangs.
MSU's Oetzmann (1-1) was credited with the loss after pitching 1 2/3 innings.
GAME TWO
MSU (3-1) defeated SMSU (3-3) 8-7 in nine innings in the second game of the doubleheader.
SMSU ended the game with seven hits from seven different players, with Grace Anderson and Emma Humpal both providing two RBIs, while Ramsey Hopp and Ava Rud each had one RBI.
Hopp (0-2) went 8 innings allowing eight runs and 14 hits while striking out three batters.
MSU had two players with three or more hits in the game, while Jorey Fry (2-0) pitched all nine innings, allowing seven runs (six earned), seven hits and seven walks, striking out one batter.
The Mustangs began game two right where they left off in game one, with Riley Kramolisch scoring off a throwing error by MSU, before Humpal delivered a 2-run home run, her first of the season, giving SMSU a 3-0 lead in the top of the first.
The Mavericks responded in the bottom of the first with two runs of their own off hits from Gianna Lara and Nyah Hulbert.
MSU continued the offensive in the second inning, scoring four runs in the bottom half of the inning, and three with two outs courtesy of Lara and Maddie Helin.
Ava Rud and Hopp both had RBI singles in the top of the third lowering the Mavericks lead to 6-5 before Avery Dorman provided MSU with another run in the bottom of the inning.
The Mustangs left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning, but capitalized in the seventh in the same situation, with Grace Anderson providing a 2-run single tying the game at 7-7 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
In the ninth inning, Lara once again provided MSU with her fourth hit of the evening, and her third RBI, giving the Mavericks an 8-7 victory.
SMSU is in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Sunday facing Upper Iowa in a double header beginning at 1:30 p.m. The games will be streaming live on the NSIC Network.
