Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ST. JOSEPH, Mo. ---   The Minnesota State softball team held its opponents scoreless in the final day of the Missouri Western Invitational as it downed Northwest Missouri State, 2-0, before earning a 1-0 win over host Missouri Western in its final game of the tournament.

Junior pitcher Brittany Lauterbach and Northwest Missouri State pitcher Sarah Baldwin engaged in a pitcher's duel through the first two and a half innings of the first game of the day, before freshman Dana Mogren got things rolling with a double to right center followed by a single from senior Samantha Holien scoring Mogren giving the Mavericks a 1-0 lead after three innings of play.  

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Mogren recorded her second double of the contest and was once again batted in my Holien pushing the Maverick lead to 2-0 heading into the final two innings of the game.  

Sophomore Abby Whritenour recorded an unassisted double play in the top of the sixth inning to keep the score at 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, and neither team was able to record any additional runs giving MSU the 2-0 victory.  

Mogren and Holien paced the Mavericks at the plate in the opening contest of the day finishing with two doubles and two singles, respectively. Holien batted in Mogren to score both of MSU's runs as the senior finished with two RBI.

Lauterbach went all seven innings in the circle in MSU's first game of the day holding the Bearcats scoreless with her second shutout of the season. With the win, Lauterbach improved to 7-4 on the season.    

The Mavericks wasted no time in their second contest of the day against Missouri Western as Holien was able to get on base in the leadoff position and eventually scored on an error by the third baseman giving MSU a 1-0 lead after the first half an inning of play.

Holien posted two hits and scored the lone run, while senior Kelly Wood was the only other Maverick to tally a hit in the contest.

Freshman Coley Ries had a strong showing in the circle going all seven innings only giving up one hit while registering her second shutout of the season and improving to 7-2 in nine starts.

The Mavericks return to action Wednesday as they open conference play against Concordia-St. Paul at 9:30 a.m.  in the friendly confines of the Savage Sports Center, where MSU went 5-1 a season ago. ?