Fayette, Iowa-- The eleventh-ranked Minnesota State (33-6) softball team charged past Upper Iowa as it swept the Peacocks 7-4 and 12-4 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader Friday.

In the series opener, MSU freshman Chelsea Riordan blasted a three-run shot to put the Mavericks on the board early. Maverick freshman Brittani Robinson reached on a fielder’s choice and junior infielder Abby Sonner followed up with a walk before Riordan bopped her first career home run. 

The Erickson sisters scored both runs in the second as Lindsay Erickson doubled down the right field line before Chelsea Erickson hit her eighth home run of the season to put MSU up 5-0 after the top of the third.

The Peacocks followed with a three-run dinger after a walk and a single in the bottom of the second inning.

In the third, Sonner singled to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to second by a Riordan bunt. MSU junior outfielderLauryn Morris then doubled to right center to earn her tenth RBI of the season.

The Mavericks added one run in the seventh when senior infielder Amanda Umhoefer doubled and Lindsay Erickson knocked her in on a base rip. 

Upper Iowa generated one last run in the bottom of the seventh after three singles in a row, ending with a 7-4 MSU win. 

The Mavericks outhit the Peacocks 10-8 in the game. Wood led the MSU offense going 3-for-4 at the plate and Lindsay Erickson right behind, batting 2-for-4.

Minnesota State senior pitcher Kendra Huettl went six innings pitched as she struck out five batters. MSU junior pitcher Courtney McKelvogue earned her third save of the season as she mopped up the final three outs of the game.

In game two, MSU jumped out to a 7-0 lead early. 

Chelsea Erickson started the second inning off with a walk before Sonner delivered an RBI double to left field. Riordan singled to right center to score Sonner, putting the Mavericks up 2-0.

MSU senior outfielder Melanie Upchurch singled before Lindsay Erickson hit her eighth home run of the season in the top of the third. Chelsea Erickson took her second walk of the game before Wood reached on an error by the shortstop. Sonner and Riordan hit singles to score Wood before sophomore outfielder Eryn Edgerton laid a bunt down to execute a squeeze play to
score Sonner, jumping out to a 7-0 lead after three innings.

Upper Iowa then used a single and a triple to bring the score to 7-1 in the bottom of the third. 

The Mavericks eighth triple of the season was stroked by Upchurch to start the fourth as Umhoefer singled to bring Upchurch across the dish.  

One run was scored by Minnesota State in the fifth when Riordan was brought around the bases after Upchurch hit a sac fly to center to move the score to 9-1. 

McKelvogue started game two before MSU sophomore pitcher Kristen Fah came in relief in the bottom of the fifth inning and gave up three hits and three runs. McKelvogue earned the win and reentered the game in the fifth as she totaled five and two-third innings from the circle. MSU freshman Brittany Lauterbach pitcher polished the final three outs of the game as she enter in the top of the seventh inning. 

Minnesota State countered with two more runs in the sixth. Lindsay Erickson doubled with Chelsea Erickson and Wood getting back-to-back singles in their at bats to score Lindsay Erickson. Edgerton walked before Morris tallied an RBI walk for the second run of the inning to score Chelsea Erickson. 

MSU added its final run of the game in the seventh inning as MSU junior infielder Sam Wadding doubled to center to lead off the inning. Wadding then scored from first on a Wood single, ending the game with a 12-4 Minnesota State victory. 

The Maverick offense tallied 16 hits in the game to the Peacocks seven. Sonner was 3-for-5 and generated two runs and two RBI. Chelsea Erickson scored three runs and was 2-for-3 at the plate in the game. 

No.11 Minnesota State (33-6) travels to play a doubleheader at No.3 Winona State tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Winona, Minn.