Box Score
Rochester, Minn.— Seventh-ranked Minnesota State (46-8) topped No.17 Augustana (47-9) 6-5 Friday evening to advance to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship. MSU freshman infielder Brittani Robinson was three-for-three in the game.
The Vikings got two runs in the top of the first but left the bases loaded after a three-hit first inning.
MSU responded in the bottom of the second when junior shortstop Abby Sonner walked to reach first base. Robinson chopped a ball over third base for a double, landing runners on second and third. Freshman Chelsea Riordan then rolled a grounder to the AC third baseman, who then made a throwing to score Sonner for the Mavericks first run.
MSU earned its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth after Robinson doubled to left center field. Senior
Chelsea Erickson started the rally with a sharp grounder through the infield. Next, first baseman
Kelly Wood laid a bunt down to get Chelsea Erickson to second as Wood reached first on the fielder’s choice. Sonner sacrifice bunted the runners up a base before Robinson tagged her eighth double of the season.
Minnesota State’s
Lindsay Erickson and
Chelsea Erickson used back-to-back doubles to score one run to give MSU a two-run cushion in the bottom of the fifth. Lindsay Erickson’s 21
st double of the season broke the Minnesota State single-season record for doubles that was set by her last season.
The Vikings loaded the bases up in the top of the sixth inning with one out before the Mavericks turned the double-play to get out of a jam.
MSU put two insurance runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth when
Lauryn Morris knocked a two-out, two-RBI single through the infield. Robinson reached on a single before senior
Amanda Umhoefer was hit by a pitch. MSU freshman
Christina Redd pinch ran for Robinson as both were moved up a base from Upchurch’s groundout to the pitcher. Redd and Umhoefer crossed the dish after Morris’ 35
th hit of the season.
Augustana scored three runs in the top of seventh but the Mavericks were able to get the final outs and get the 6-5 win over the Vikings.
MSU
Kendra Huettl went six and two-thirds innings as
Courtney McKelvogue pitched one out in the sixth.
The Mavericks will face the winner of Augustana and Winona State at 1 p.m., in the NSIC championship on Saturday.
