Mankato, Minn.-- Fresh off sweeping the weekend, Minnesota State split a doubleheader with Concordia Thursday. The Mavericks lost 2-1 and took game two 8-3 in the doubleheader.

 

The Mavericks were held to only one hit in the first three innings, as junior Melanie Upchurch led off the game on a slap hit to the shortstop.

 

The Mavericks were unable to score in the fourth inning on two hits. Junior Chelsea Erickson hit a two-out doubled, before advancing to third on a Lindsay Erickson single.

 

Concordia’s Brynn Larsen scored the games first run in the bottom of the fourth launching a solo shot, giving CU a 1-0 lead.

 

Sophomore Abby Sonner knocked her eighth double of the year into right center field to start the fifth inning. Amanda Umhoefer bunted Sonner to third. Upchurch collected her second infield hit of the game, scoring Sonner to tie the game 1-1.

 

Lindsay Erickson ripped a one-out single in the sixth, followed by shot up the middle from Kelly Wood, moving Erickson to second. MSU was unable to bring and batters in.

 

The Golden Bears used a single and a triple in the bottom of the sixth, give CU a one-run lead heading into the seventh inning. Concordia fended of the Mavericks in the seventh, giving it the 2-1 victory.

 

Junior pitcher Kendra Huettl gave up six hits, finished with nine strikeouts on 91 pitches.

 

Huettl would get the nod in game two, making it her sixth start in a row for the Mavericks. In the game the junior would give two hits, accumulating one strikeout in her 19^th win of the season. Huettl pitched ten innings on the day, giving up eight hits, converting into 1.40 earned run average.

 

In game two, Minnesota State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Upchurch walked in the first at bat of the game, when Lauryn Morris moved her to second on a bunt single. Spicer would move both runners over on a sacrifice bunt.

 

Senior Julie O'Neal tagged a right field single to bring in Upchurch. Junior Chelsea Erickson completed an RBI sacrifice bunt to guide Morris across the plate, putting MSU up 2-0.

 

MSU would tack on a four-run third inning, when Natalie Spicer kicked off the inning with a walk. O’Neal and Chelsea Erickson would both earn sacrifice bunts, moving Spicer to third. Lindsay Erickson singled to right and stole her second base of the year. Sonner and Wood had back-to-back doubles to put up Minnesota State 6-0.

 

The Mavericks jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the sixth inning when Morris doubled to right field. Spicer singled to center field, scoring Morris. After Spicer landed on second on a pass ball, she was brought home on a sacrifice fly by Chelsea Erickson.

 

The Golden Bears added three runs in the bottom of the sixth, shrinking the score to 8-3

 

Freshman pitcher Kristen Fah went the final three innings for Minnesota State, giving up six hits and three runs.

 

Morris, Spicer, Wood and Sonner collected two hits in game two of the twinbill. Upchurch formulated three walks in the MSU 8-3 victory.

 

Minnesota State (36-9, 12-4 NSIC) will continue action tomorrow against Southwest Minnesota State. The doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m., in Marshall, Minn.