Umhoefer Provides Two Runs in MSU Victory

5/6/2011 5:21:35 PM

Box Score

Sioux Falls, S.D — Minnesota State squeezed out a 2-1 victory over Minnesota Duluth in its third game of the day. This is the fourth game the Mavericks have played in the 2011 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament.
In a tight ball game, MSU was outhit 5-2 in the eight-inning victory.

In the bottom of the second, Mandy Matula hit a ball to the right field fence that bounced off #Melanie Upchurch’s# glove, landing Matula on second base. The next play UMD’s Coley Gale hit a grounder off Matula’s foot. Matula was called out and the Mavericks managed to get out of the inning, despite the lead-off double.

MSU second baseman Amanda Umhoefer made a diving play on a grounder up the middle, but overthrew it to first, allowing UMD’s Kylee Smith, who pinch ran for Gale, to cross the plate.

Umhoefer responded by crushing her fifth home run of the season and second of the tournament. Umhoefer’s sixth-inning blast was the first hit for the Mavericks on the day.

Umhoefer laid a bunt down in the top of the eighth inning and the pitcher made a throwing error to first base. The junior Umhoefer advanced as she stole her seventh base of the year. Junior right fielder Melanie Upchurch knocked a chopper through the left side, scoring Umhoefer from second for the second run of the game.

MSU’s Courtney McKelvogue got the start from the circle for the Mavericks, completing five innings and striking out three. Junior pitcher Kendra Huettl completed the final three innings of the game, allowing just one hit in her ten batters faced.

There were a total of five errors in the game, as UMD committed three and MSU had two.

Minnesota State (45-11) is one of three teams left in the NSIC tournament, including first-seeded Augustana and second-seeded Wayne State. The Mavericks will face Wayne State at 10 a.m., at Bowden Field. The winner will play Augustana immediately after.

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