CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Minnesota State softball team wrapped up play in the College Spring games by posting a pair of victories against Northwood and Tiffin. The Mavericks defeated the Timberwolves 5-0, before finishing the day with a 5-1 victory over the Dragons. With the wins, MSU improves to 12-8 on the season.

The Mavericks began the day with a 5-0 victory over the Northwood Timberwolves.

Freshman Libby Bemis (6-0) picked up her sixth win in her sixth straight start as she threw 6.1 shutout innings. Bemis struck out eight batters, while giving up three hits and four walks. Junior Katie Koponen came on in relief of Bemis with one out in the bottom of the seventh and posted two strikeouts to lock down the win for the Mavericks. Madison Sebald (0-6) took the loss as she gave up five runs, two earned, in 5.2 innings.

In the top of the first, junior Tatum Klein led off with a single and stole second. She eventually advanced to third base before freshman Kara Lattery drove her in with a single through the left side to make it 1-0. One inning later, senior Chelsea Riordan notched a double to right field with one gone. After Riordan was sacrificed to third, Klein stepped up and drove her in with a single through the right side to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead.

Both pitchers held the opposing offenses in check through the middle innings, but the Mavericks were able to add to their lead in the top of the sixth as they notched three runs to take a 5-0 lead. Sophomore Samantha Buhmann drove in two runs with a single to center, before sophomore Ashley Thell notched an RBI-single up the middle for the game's final run.

Five Mavericks recorded two or more hits in the game, including Klein and Riordan who each tallied three hits.

The Mavericks finished the day with a 5-1 win over Tiffin.

Sophomore Coley Ries (6-7) earned the win as she threw six innings and allowed just one run on two hits, while striking out eight. Sarah Brown (1-3) took the loss as she gave up four runs, two earned, in two innings on work.

The Mavericks opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as junior Karli DesLauriers scored on a passed ball, only to have the Dragons answer right back in the top of the third as Brown hit a solo home run to knot up the score at 1-1.

MSU responded quickly however as it tallied four runs in the third to go up 5-1. Freshman Jess Meidl got the scoring going with an RBI-double. Klein tallied the second run of the inning as she scored on a passed ball. Buhmann and Lattery then posted RBI-singles to give the Mavericks the four-run lead at 5-1.

Through the final four innings, Ries and Koponen, who came on in relief of Ries in the top of the seventh, allowed just three base runners the rest of the way as the Mavericks locked down the 5-1 win.

The Mavericks wrap up their nonconference portion of the regular season next week as they take part in the Missouri Western State Tournament in St. Joseph, Mo. MSU begins the tournament on Friday, March 20, as it takes on Missouri Western State at 10 a.m.



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