BENTONVILLE, Ark. --- The Minnesota State softball team had a tough opening day on Friday at the UAM 8-State Classic as it fell to Pittsburg State 8-0 in six innings and Northeastern State 13-8.

MSU now owns a 0-2 record.

The Mavericks began the day with an 8-0 loss in six innings to Pittsburg State.

Emmie Robertson (1-0) picked up the win as she threw a complete game while giving up just two hits and two walks, while striking out six. Sophomore Coley Ries (0-1) took the loss as she gave up six earned runs through five innings of work.  

The Gorillas took an early 1-0 lead off an RBI-single in the second, before Kylie Guthrie notched a three-run home run in the third to put PSU up 4-0. McKenzie Rynard and Guthrie each added a solo home run in the following innings as well.

Sophomore Samantha Buhmann and senior Chelsea Riordan recorded MSU only two hits in the game.

MSU finished the day with a 13-8 loss to the Northeastern State Riverhawks.

Alex Flies (1-1) picked up the win for the Riverhawks, as she gave up three runs and two walks, while posting one strikeout. Junior Katie Koponen (0-1) took the loss as she gave up three runs, three hits, three walks, while striking out two.

NSU got its first run in the second, before the Riverhawks exploded for nine runs in the third. NSU posted four home runs in the inning.

The Mavericks finally got on the board in the fourth inning, as they recorded four runs, capped off with a three-run home run by sophomore Ashley Thell.

However in the next two innings of play, the Riverhawks would push three more runs across the plate, including another home run.

MSU would finish the game with scoring two runs each in the six and seventh inning. In the sixth inning, Riordan would plate freshman Jess Meidl on a fielder's choice, before junior Emily Bransky would score on the next play from a throwing error. In the seventh, Thell would push another across the plate, as she singled in junior Tatum Klein, before Meidl grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Buhmann.

Thell finished the game batting 2-of-4, including a homer and four RBI and Buhmann ended the game with two hits and two runs of her own. Riordan posted two RBI and one hit, while Bransky recorded two runs and two walks.

The Mavericks will return to action on Saturday as they will play two more games in the UAM 8-State Classic. MSU will take on Missouri-St. Louis at 9 a.m., before taking on Arkansas Tech at 1 p.m.