St. Paul, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team opened NSIC play with a pair of victories over Concordia-St. Paul on Tuesday afternoon in St. Paul, Minn. The Mavericks defeated the Golden Bears by scores of 5-1 and 10-2.

With the two wins, MSU extends its overall record to 19-7 and now 2-0 in NSIC play.

The Mavericks began the day winning game one of their doubleheader against Concordia-St. Paul by the score of 5-1.

Junior Coley Ries (12-3) picked up the win as she threw a complete game in which she gave up just one run, on four hits, while striking out 13. Ries' scoreless inning streak came to an end at 45.1 innings as the Golden Bears recorded their only run in the bottom of the third. Linzy Heim (4-7) was saddled with the loss as she gave up five runs, four earned, on nine hits.

After a pair of scoreless innings to start the game, both teams reached the scoring column in the third. With one out in the top of the third, senior Karli DesLauriers singled down the left field line and then stole second. Freshman McKenzie Paap then plated DesLauriers with an RBI-single up the middle to put MSU up 1-0.

The bottom of the third saw CU's Carlie Hart lead off with a double. Jamie Fleischhacker then sacrificed Hart to third, before Nicole Thompson drove in Hart with a single to first base to knot up the score at 1-1.

The Mavericks responded quickly in the top of the fourth as junior Samantha Buhmann doubled down the right field line. She eventually came in to score on a pair of sacrifice bunts to put MSU up 2-1.

After a scoreless fifth inning the Maverick offense responded with three runs in the top of the sixth to go up 5-1. Junior Dana Mogren and Buhmann found themselves on second and first to start the inning after a pair of singles. Sophomore Kara Lattery then reached base on an error by the third baseman with Buhmann scoring. With runners at second and third, sophomore Jess Meidl then plated Buhmann with a sacrifice fly, before junior Ashley Thell drove in Lattery with a single up the middle.

The Golden Bears managed to get a pair of baserunners in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Ries held firm as she struck out five batters in the final two innings to secure the 5-1 win for the Mavericks.

Buhmann and Thell each notched a pair of hits in the opening contest, with Meidl driving in a team-leading two RBI.

The Mavericks finished the day with a 10-2 victory over the Golden Bears in game two as the offense tallied 13 hits, five walks and three stolen bases. 

MSU also received a strong pitching performance in the win from senior Katie Koponen [1-0]. It was her first start of the season and she earned the win as she pitched all seven innings and struckout five batters, while allowing six hits and two earned runs. For the Golden Bears, sophomore Haley Schanks [2-9] took the loss as she too pitched all seven innings and gave up 13 hits and six earned runs. 

The Mavericks got a run on the board right away in the top of the first when lead-off hitter McKenzie Paap scored from third when junior Samantha Buhmann brought her home with a RBI single to right field.

The Golden Bears quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning and took the lead as they pushed across two runs over the plate. Sophomore Nicole Thompson scored CU's first run when Kelly McKenzie earned a bases loaded walk. Schanks was due up next for the Golden Bears and she reached base on a fielder's choice that scored freshman Justine Schattner from third. CU still had runners on third and second with one out but Koponen dug deep and was able to get the next two batters out to finish the inning.

MSU would tie the game up at 2-2 in the top of the third when Buhmann answered again with a RBI single through the right side that scored junior Dana Mogren. 

The runs kept coming in the fourth and fifth innings for the Mavericks as they scored three runs apiece in each inning. In the fourth MSU scored all of its three runs with two outs. The Mavericks were able to load the bases for sophomore Kara Lattery and she delivered with a two-RBI single up the middle that scored senior Tatum Klein and Mogren. The Mavericks scored their final run of the inning off of a RBI single from sophomore Jess Meidl that scored Buhmann.

In the fifth MSU again scored all three of its runs with two outs. Runners Karli DesLauriers and Emily Bransky were on base with Mogren in the batters box and the Forest Lake native cranked a three-run home run to left field to give MSU an 8-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the seventh Mogren wasn't done yet as she added a two-RBI single up the middle to her stat line that scored Paap and DesLauriers.

When it was all said and done, Mogren finished the game 3-of-5 from the plate with five RBI, three runs scored, a home run, a double and a stolen base. Buhmann and Lattery each chipped in with two hits and two RBI of their own, while DesLauriers added two hits and two runs scored as well.

Next up for the Mavericks will their home opener on Friday at the MSU Softball Diamond. MSU is set to host St. Cloud State in an afternoon twinbill  with game times set for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.