BARTOW, Fla. - In the final games of Southwest Minnesota State softball's (14-12) Florida trip, the Mustangs could not end in winning fashion, losing to McKendree (19-5) 7-3 in game one and American International (Mass.) (3-5) 2-1.
GAME ONE
Ramsey Hopp (4-8) started the game for the Mustangs, pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing six runs (all earned) on 11 hits. Jordan Bussey relieved Hopp in the fourth inning, pitching 2 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on one hit, striking out four batters.
Three Mustang batters combined for the seven hits in the game. Riley Kramolisch had three base hits, while Aliza Acker and Hopp had two hits and an RBI each. Kennah Bretschneider, Carley Stych, and Morgan Alar scored the runs for SMSU.
McKendree began the scoring in the first as Paisley Twai sent in a run from a fielder's choice on a bases loaded situation.
Stych would tie the game in the third inning for the Mustangs, scoring on a passed ball.
The Bearcats offense went full throttle in the third inning, scoring four runs, and beginning the inning with six straight base hits. McKendree added two more runs in the next two innings, pushing the Mustangs on the brink of a run rule defeat.
Hopp, who was still in the game as a hitter, sent home Alar on a base hit down the right field line to give the Mustangs life in the sixth, but it proved to be too little too late. Acker added the third and final run for SMSU in the seventh.
Sami Huck (6-4) pitched all seven innings for the Bearcats, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out eight Mustang batters. McKendree was led offensively by Lauren Harris's three hits and Jasmine Myers' 2 RBIs.
GAME TWO
Jordyn Marsh (10-3) pitched all seven innings for SMSU, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, fanning three AIC batters.
Four different Mustang batters amounted to the four hits in the game, with Riley Kramolisch, Grace Anderson, Paris Van Dyke, and Lexi Ingalls providing the hits.
SMSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning, when Kramolisch hit a single to left center field, allowing Ingalls to score.
The YellowJackets responded in the fifth inning by scoring their two runs in the game. After three singles in four batters, Jillien Ayala scored after a Mustang error, and Lauryn Ramal would score the winning run in the next at bat.
Gabrielle Lambert (1-2) pitched all seven innings for AIC allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Brianna Salazar provided the lone RBI and the YellowJackets as a team had six hits in the game.
SMSU begins NSIC play next weekend on the road against Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday, Mar. 21 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., as well as Minnesota Crookston the following day at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Both sets of doubleheaders will be streamed live on the NSIC Network.
