Mankato, Minn.—The Minnesota State Mavericks took two wins over the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader. The 2-0 and 2-1 wins were filled with stellar pitching on both sides.

 

Each team tallied one hit and left two runners on in the first inning, unable to score in the first inning.

 

MSU Junior Melanie Upchurch and sophomore Lauryn Morris singled through the right side in the third inning, before each credited a stolen base. MSU failed to bring the runners on second and third base in.

 

The Mavericks were first on the board when freshman slugger Lindsay Erickson hit her sixth home run of the season to put Minnesota State up 1-0 in the fourth.

 

Eryn Edgerton added a run in the sixth inning when she pinch ran for #Julie O’Neal#, who was struck by a pitch. Chelsea Erickson bunted Edgeton to second base, as Lindsay Erickson flew out to right, moving Edgerton to third. Freshman Kelly Wood drove a pitch up the middle to earn the RBI single.

 

MSU pitcher Kendra Huettl gave up just three hits, pitching five straight hitless innings. The junior pitcher arranged seven strikeouts in her 20^th win of the season.

 

Morris and Upchurch both went 2-for-4, as they collected four of the eight Maverick hits.

 

In game two of the twinbill, pitcher Courtney McKelvogue got her first start since April 13^th. McKelvogue went six and one-third innings, striking out seven, giving up four hits in her 16^th win of the season.

 

MSU and SMSU were shutout in the first four innings, as the game had a combined three hits to that point.

 

The Mavericks generated the first runs off the game in the fifth inning. Chelsea Erickson reached on an error and was pinch ran by Edgerton. Kelly Wood tripled down the right field line, bringing in Edgerton. Sophomore Abby Sonner ripped a double down the right field line to score Wood, putting MSU up 2-0.

 

The Mustangs put the pressure on the MSU defense in the seventh, as they loaded the bases with two outs. MSU walked the first SMSU run of the day in with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Huettl earned the save, capturing the final two outs in the 2-1 Maverick victory.

 

MSU was outhit 5-3 in the game.

 

Minnesota State pulled the 2-1 win off on three hits in the game. Wood, Sonner and Upchurch tallied the Mavericks hits.

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