Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State University softball team split with the University of Minnesota Duluth at the Diamond at Gage Towers, dropping the first game 2-1 but won the second game 8-0 in five innings. With the split MSU improves to 32-10 overall with a mark of 17-5 in NSIC action.
 
The Mavericks and Bulldogs were unable to muster any offensive production through the first three innings as MSU was unable to record a run despite recording three hits. UMD was the first on the scoreboard as it posted a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, opening up a 1-0 lead.
 
The Bulldogs held a 1-0 lead going in to the top half of the seventh inning, freshman Tatum Klein recorded a triple up the right field line with one out bringing the Mavericks to the top of the order where senior Lauryn Morris recorded the RBI single, bringing the game to a 1-1 tie. Morris would be tagged out on third advancing on a single by senior Abby Sonner. MSU was unable to capitalize with Sonner on second, leaving the game knotted up at 1-1 after the top half of the seventh inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs found themselves with the bases loaded with one out. Jordan Rice popped out to shallow right field for junior outfielder Anna Cole to field. As Cole tried to keep the runner at third, she overthrew Erickson at home plate, allowing the game ending run for the Bulldogs to cross the dish.
 
Junior pitcher Courtney McKelvogue finished her first game of the season at home giving up one earned run on three hits and one strikeout.
 
The Mavericks recorded one run on eight hits with three errors and were led by Sonner who recorded three hits. Morris recorded MSU’s lone RBI, while Klein recorded the Mavericks only run.
 
MSU wasted no time posting runs in the second contest of the day as junior Lindsay Erickson recorded her seventh homerun on the campaign. Junior Samantha Holien followed it up with a single, junior Anna Cole scored Holien with an RBI triple and junior Kelly Wood would score Holien giving the Mavericks a 3-0 lead after the top half of the first inning.
 
Junior Eryn Edgerton continued the offensive outpouring in the top of the second inning as she crossed home plate off of the bat of Morris’s single, extending the Maverick lead to 4-0.
 
Wood recorded a homerun in the top of the third inning, scoring herself and Holien who got on base by way of a single. Senior Jenna Peterson and Klein each recorded singles and Morris was walked bringing up Sonner with the bases juiced and two outs, but she was thrown at first base, proving the be the third out of the inning, bringing the score to 6-0 in favor of the Mavericks.
 
The Mavericks would score for the fourth consecutive inning as it was Erickson crossing home plate with the RBI credited to Wood.
 
Morris recorded the third dinger of the contest, her second of the campaign with two outs as she connected on a solo shot down the right field line, pushing the MSU lead to 8-0 after four and a half completed innings and would go on to be the final score after five innings.
 
Sophomore pitcher Brittany Lauterbach was credited with the win, her ninth of the campaign. Lauterbach went all five innings only giving up three hits.
 
MSU was led by Erickson who recorded two runs on two hits with one RBI, while Holien recorded three hits in three at-bats with two runs. Collectively the Mavericks posted 13 hits and did not commit an error.
 
The Mavericks will return to action as they travel to St. Cloud, Minn. to do battle with the Huskies in the regular season finale, first pitch is slated for 1 p.m.