Box Score
Rochester, Minn.— Seventh-ranked Minnesota State (46-8) couldn’t script a better ending to win the NSIC Tournament Championship as sophomore infielderKelly Wood hit a walk-off grand slam to beat No. 17 Augustana (48-10),9-8, to in Rochester, Minn., Sunday. Minnesota State becomes the first team since Winona State in 2009 to go 4-0 in the NSIC tournament.
Wood stepped into the box with no one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and smashed a ball to deep center field for her eighth home run of the season to drive MSU to the victory. MSU’s Lauryn Morris walked to start the inning and moved to second on Lindsay Erickson's single up the middle that was followed by senior Chelsea Erickson’s walk to set-up the Wood game-winning grand slam.
Minnesota State outhit the Vikings 10-8 in the game. Wood totaled five RBI in the game.
Early on in the game, Augustana scored two runs in the top of the first inning on an opposite field homer by Janelle Trautmann.
MSU senior Chelsea Erickson singled to start the bottom of the second inning before infielder Kelly Wood got on from a fielder’s choice bunt. Junior shortstop Abby Sonner ripped a grounder through the left side of the infield to load up the bases. Freshman infielder Brittani Robinson turned on a ball and painted the left field line to score all three runners but was thrown out at third on the play to put MSU on the board.
The Vikings scored three runs on two hits and two errors the Mavericks made in the field to take a 5-3 lead after the top of the third inning.
MSU used a base rip by junior Lauryn Morris to start the bottom of the third inning who landed on third after Lindsay Erickson roped a double to right field. Freshman Christina Redd pinch ran for Lindsay Erickson. Outfielder Chelsea Erickson hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Morris and move Redd to third base. Wood rolled a grounder to short as Redd was able to score on the play at the plate to tie the game at five.
Viking catcher Elizabeth Murray hit a deep home run to left field, moving Augustana up 6-5 in the top of the fifth inning. After the homer, AC added another run when it loaded up the bases and dropped a single, extending it lead to 7-5. The Vikings infielder Kelsey Kalkmann moved the score to 8-5 after a solo homer to center field.
The Mavericks responded in the bottom half of the inning when Wood hit her walk off grand slam to score all four Mavericks to win the game 9-8.
MSU senior pitcher Kendra Huettl went the first three innings and gave up five runs, which three were earned and had two strikeouts. Junior Courtney McKelvogue took over for Huettl in the fourth and finished the game from the circle earning her 20th win of the season.
Huettl, Chelsea Erickson and Brittani Robinson were named to the NSIC All-Tournament team.
MSU will find out its NCAA central region seed at 9 a.m., on Monday morning at the NCAA selection show on NCAA.com.
Wood's Grand Slam:
Postgame with Wood:
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