Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Rochester, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team advances to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament Championship game after defeating Minot State, 2-1, and Minnesota Duluth, 3-1, to improve to 37-10 on the season.
 
In the first contest of the day, Minot State found its way on the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning, recording one run without tallying a single hit, jumping out to an early 1-0 lead.
 
Through six and a half inning the teams were each able to record one hit, the difference being the Minot State run, that changed in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out when senior Jenna Peterson belted the two-run home run lifting the Mavericks past the Beavers, 2-1. The home run is the first run of the season for Peterson.
 
Peterson led the offensive charge for the Mavericks recording one run on one hit with two RBI in three at-bats. Junior outfielder Anna Cole recorded the Mavericks only other hit.
 
Senior pitcher Courtney McKelvogue was credited with the win and she improved to 21-7 on the season. McKelvogue allowed one run on one hit while walking four and striking out five batters in seven innings of work.
 
In the second contest of the day it was the Bulldogs striking first taking an 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, UMD had the bases loaded with one out, but the Mavericks were able to retire the side.
 
Junior Kelly Wood evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo home run, her eighth of the season.
 
In her next at bat, Wood continued to swing a hot stick as she blasted a two-run shot – this time scoring junior second baseman Samantha Holien who had earlier singled - giving the Mavericks a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning, a tally which proved to be the final score.
 
McKelvogue was credited with the win, she pitched two innings and allowed one hit and walked one batter. Sophomore Brittany Lauterbach, who got the starting nod for the Mavericks, gave up one run on five hits in five innings of work.
 
Wood led the offensive charge for the Mavericks, going 2-for-3, with the two home runs, three RBI as well as a team-high four assists in the field.
 
The Mavericks will face either Minot State or Minnesota Duluth in the NSIC Championship game Sunday in Rochester at 11:00 a.m.