Mankato, Minn.--- The Minnesota State softball opened their home part of its schedule on Thursday afternoon, as the Mavericks split a doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul. The Golden Bears got the best of the Mavericks in game one by the score of 4-2, before the Mavericks picked up the win in game two, 7-3.

The Mavericks overall record now stands at 20-14 and own a 5-3 record in NSIC play.

The Mavericks fell to the Golden Bears in game one by the score of 4-2, as sophomore pitcher Coley Ries (10-11) took the loss for MSU. Ries pitched all seven innings and struck out four batters, while she gave up seven hits and three earned runs. Freshman pitcher Haley Schanks picked up the win for the Golden Bears, as she was able to pitch five innings of work and gave up only one hit.

MSU would strike first in the second, as sophomore Samantha Buhmann was able to score after a fielding error from a CU player, to put the Mavericks up 1-0 after two innings.

The Golden Bears would answer right back in the top of the third as they pushed across one run of their own. Nicole Thompson posted  a RBI single to left center, that scored Navarae Honoroff to tie the game up at 1-1.

CU recorded three more insurance runs, to put the Golden Bears up 4-1. Teona Zepeda got the scoring going in the top of the fifth as she ripped a RBI single and after a throwing error by a MSU player, Zepeda would eventually cross the plate cross as well the plate. CU would push across its final run in the top of the sixth, as Emily Shinn posted a RBI after a fielders choice sac bunt that scored Nicole Sparks from third.

In the bottom half of the sixth, the Mavericks first three hitters would reach base safely after a lead-off single from freshman Jess Meidl, a walk from sophomore Dana Mogren, which led to a RBI single from Buhmann, that pushed across Meidl. However, MSU was never able to push anymore runs across the plate in the inning and the rest of the game, which led to 4-2 game one victory for the Golden Bears.

In game two of the day, the Mavericks would get some revenge, as they came out victorious with a 7-3 victory over the Golden Bears.

Freshman pitcher Libby Bemis (10-2) earned the win for the Mavericks, as she pitched five innings and posted five strikeouts, while giving up five hits and two earned runs. Junior pitcher Katie Koponen closed out the last two innings for MSU. Stephanie Kappes (5-13) picked up the loss for the Golden Bears, while she gave up six earned runs in three innings of work.

CU pushed across one run in the top of the first, before MSU recorded six straight runs through the first three innings.

The Mavericks scored two runs in the bottom of the first as freshman Kara Lattery belted to a two RBI triple to right field that brought in Meidl and junior Emily Bransky. In the next inning, MSU added one more run to its lead as sophomore Molly Sager cranked a solo home run over the right field fence. In the third, freshman Jordan Mauch earned a bases loaded walk that brought in sophomore Ashley Thell, before sophomore Mandi Mauch scored on the next at-bat after a wild pitch from CU.

The Golden Bears scored one more run in the fourth and seventh, as MSU pushed across its final run in the sixth, as Mogren ripped a RBI single up the middle that brought in Meidl from second.

For the day, Sager finished with three hits, including a solo home run and tallied one run and one walk, while Lattery also collected three hits, two RBI, one run and one walk. Senior Tatum Klein posted three hits of own, as well as three stolen bases. Meidl and Bransky each added two stolen bases to their stat sheet.

MSU will return right back to action Friday, as it will play host to Minnesota Crookston in doubleheader action. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.