Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Mankato, Minn.— Minnesota State finished with weekend sweeping Minnesota, Crookston in two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games. Carrying a 31-6 record, it took MSU 36 games to get to their 30th win of the season, which is the fastest in program history. The previous best was in 1987 when it took the Mavericks 38 games to hit the 30 win mark.
In the doubleheader MSU would steal an 11-0, five inning win and finish the sweep with a 10-1 win over UMC Saturday. The Mavericks combined for 25 hits in the 12 innings played.
Minnesota State would jump out fast and early in game one. Sophomore Lauryn Morris tallied a bunt single before #Julie O’Neal# hit a double to the left center field gap, knocking Morris in.
After and error by the centerfielder, Chelsea Erickson would plant herself at second base until Lindsay Erickson knocked her in with a base rip up the middle to give MSU a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
After MSU’s Abby Sonner hit a single, the Golden Eagles would rack up two errors in the inning, guiding Sonner to be the lone run in the second.
In the fourth inning, the Mavericks would record three runs of three hits and one error by UMC. Sonner would start the rally with a single and stolen base. Upchurch laid a bunt single down before Lauryn Morris hit bases clearing triple and score on an error to give MSU a 7-0 lead.
Minnesota State capitalized in the fifth inning as UMC made two errors, giving them six errors in the game. MSU pounded out four more runs as Sonner, Umhoefer, Upchurch and Morris all recorded singles in the fifth inning.
Sonner finish the game with three runs, going 3-of-3 from the plate. Lauryn Morris collected four runs batted in and was 3-of-4 from the dish.
MSU pitcher Kendra Huettl recorded her 14th win of the season on eight strikeouts, giving up just three hits. The win helps her earned run average to down to 2.57 on the season.
In a slow offensive start to game two of the day, MSU rallied late to clinch a 10-1 win over Minnesota, Crookston.
Natalie Spicer broke the 0-0 tied in the top of the fourth inning, pounding out her seventh home run of the season, giving MSU a 1-0 lead.
In her nine strikeout performance, sophomore pitcher Courtney McKelvogue dominated early on as she gave up five hits in the seven innings.
Minnesota, Crookston would tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Kayla Bowar hit a lead off double. Bowar would be knocked by a Sarena Diederichs single, which marked the only run Minnesota State would let up in the matinee doubleheader.
Two MSU home runs in the sixth inning kicked the Maverick offense into gear as Morris and Wood tallied long balls. The solo Morris shot was her first career home run. Wood’s scoreboard shot brought in O’Neal and Chelsea Erickson, who both reached on singles, giving Minnesota State a 5-0 cushion going into the seventh inning.
MSU had its biggest inning of the day in the seventh inning pouring on five runs, on five hits. Upchurch, Morris, Chelsea Erickson, Lindsay Erickson and Wood rattled off singles in the inning to put the Mavericks up 10-1.
Spicer finished 2-of-3 with two runs and two RBI. Wood finished 2-of-4 from the plate with four RBI in game two.
On the day, Lindsay Erickson went 3-of-5 from the dish, with three runs and three RBI.
MSU shortstop Sonner was 4-of-6 batting, adding three runs.
Minnesota State (31-6, 8-2 NSIC) will play an NSIC game Wednesday against Augustana, with first pitch slated for 3 p.m., at the Diamond at Gage Towers in Mankato, Minn.
MSU Sophomore Lauryn Morris:
