MANKATO, Minn. – Earning its first NSIC victory against Minnesota State since 2013, the Southwest Minnesota State softball team (22-14, 8-2 NSIC) split a doubleheader against the Mavericks on Thursday afternoon, losing game one 9-1 (5 inn.) and winning game two 3-1.
GAME ONE
Ramsey Hopp (8-9) was credited with her first loss in conference play, pitching two innings allowing six earned runs on 10 hits, striking out two Maverick batters.
SMSU had just three hits in the first game, from
Aliza Acker,
Emma Humpal, and
Lexi Ingalls.
The Mavericks fired on all cylinders in the second innings, scoring six of their nine runs in the game, all with two outs. Carly Kimmes, Chloe Brandt, and Finley Anderson brought home the first three runs of the game before a 3-run home run by Gianna Lara gave MSU a 6-0 lead.
Anderson and Brandt would extend the Maverick lead to 9-0 in the fifth inning with a pair of doubles to left field.
Humpal would bring home the only run of the game for SMSU in the bottom of the fifth with a double to left center field, allowing Acker to score.
MSU's Jorey Fry (9-5) pitched five innings for the Mavericks, allowing one earned run on three hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Brandt and Anderson had three hits in the contest. Anderson tied with Lara for RBIs with three.
GAME TWO
Jordyn Marsh (14-4) pitched all seven innings allowing one earned run on seven hits with three strikeouts.
Paris Van Dyke led the way for the Mustangs offensively with two hits.
Aliza Acker and
Ramsey Hopp each had one hit and an RBI.
Acker put the Mustangs on the board first in the third inning with a single to right center field, allowing
Carley Stych to score. The Mustangs would score off a double steal the next batter, with Van Dyke scoring the second run.
Maddie Helin scored the lone run for the Mavericks in the fifth inning with a home run to center field, her fifth of the season.
Hopp would score the third and final run for the Mustangs in the sixth innings with a single to right field bringing home
Emma Humpal.
Maddie Oetzmann (8-5) pitched six innings for the Mavericks, allowing three earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Helin and Hannah Tong led MSU with two hits each.
SMSU faces Winona State on Friday at the Maverick All-Sports Dome in Mankato, Minn., in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.