DULUTH, Minn. --- Both offenses were kept in check Saturday afternoon as the Minnesota State softball team split its series against Minnesota Duluth as the Mavericks began the day with a 3-0 win, before the Bulldogs evened the afternoon with a 3-2 win of their own.

MSU now owns a 16-12 overall record, including a 1-1 NSIC record. With the split, UMD now owns an 18-9 overall record and a 2-2 league record.

The Mavericks began the day with a 3-0 victory as sophomore Coley Ries (9-9) threw her second complete game shutout of the season. Ries allowed just two hits and three walks, while striking out 11 batters in seven innings. Cayli Sadler (9-6) took the loss as she gave up three runs, on seven hits, to go along with two strikeouts.

The game remained scoreless after the first two innings as both teams combined to leave four runners stranded. In the top of the third, juniors Laura Milligan and Tatum Klein reached base via a fielder's choice and a single through the left side with one out. After advancing to second and third on a sacrifice bunt, freshman Jess Meidl plated both Klein and Milligan with a single through the left side to give MSU a 2-0 lead.

The Mavericks added another run in the top of the fourth as freshman Kara Lattery doubled down the left field line. Sophomore Dana Mogren then drove in MSU's third run of the game with a single down the left field line that scored freshman Alyssa Rickels who was pinch running for Lattery.

Ries kept the Bulldog offense in check the rest of the way as she just allowed three base runners, while fanning five.

Both Meidl and Mogren notched a pair of hits in the game, with Meidl posting two RBI.

MSU finished the day with a 3-2 loss to the Bulldogs in the second game of the doubleheader.

Sam Hartmann (8-3) earned the win for the Bulldogs as she gave up two runs on two hits, while posting six strikeouts. Freshman Libby Bemis (7-2) took the loss as she gave up three runs, one earned, on eight hits.

The Mavericks struck right away in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Klein reached base via a walk and would advance to third behind a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Klein would later cross the plate on Hartmann's second wild pitch of the inning to put MSU up 1-0.

After a scoreless first and second inning, the Bulldogs managed to get a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. UMD managed to load the bases before an error  by Lattery brought home the Bulldogs' first run. Sami Schnyder drove in UMD's second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.

UMD added another run in the bottom of the fourth as Laura Nadeau posted a two-out triple, before Natalie Wright plated her with an RBI-single to put UMD up 3-1.

After a scoreless fifth and sixth inning, sophomore Ashley Thell posted her second home run of the season with a solo shot to bring the Mavericks within one of the Bulldogs at 3-2. This would be all MSU could muster in the final inning as Hartmann got MSU's final two batters to strikeout to end the game.

MSU continues its road schedule on Sunday as they take on St. Cloud State. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.      

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