Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball picked up two wins in its home opener over the University of Sioux Falls on Tuesday afternoon at the MSU Softball Diamond. The Mavericks won by the scores of 5-4 and 8-2.

With the two wins, MSU's overall record improves to 23-9 and 6-2 in NSIC play. USF's overall record dips down to 22-9 and 6-2 in conference play.

In the first game of the day junior pitcher Coley Ries started for the Mavericks and she earned the her 14th victory of the season as MSU won 5-4 in eight innings. Ries pitched all eight innings and set a new single-game career-high with 19 strikeouts. In the circle for the Cougars was Kerrigan Hoshaw [11-5] and she took the loss as she allowed five earned runs and 12 hits in eight innings.

After Ries struck out the side in the top of the first, MSU put one run on the board in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman McKenzie Paap started the inning with a lead-off single and then stole second to get into scoring position. A couple of batters later junior Dana Mogren brought Paap home as she hit a RBI single right up the middle to give MSU its first run of the game. However, USF quickly answered in the top of the second when the NSIC's top home run hitter, Alyson Netty, drilled a solo shot to left field to even the score up at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third the Mavericks retook their lead when senior Emily Bransky scored on a wild pitch from third to MSU a 2-1 lead. Later in the inning the Mavericks loaded the bases with zero outs and Mogren was in the batters box but, was unable to push any runs across as the Cougars were able to pull off a triple play to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth MSU added a couple of insurance runs as Mogren struck again when she laced a RBI double to left center that brought senior Tatum Klein racing home from first. Mogren would later score MSU's second run of the inning when sophomore Kara Lattery hit a RBI single to left center.

In the top of the seventh USF was down to its last out in the game with two runners on base when the Cougars received a clutch hit from Shannon Daly as she nailed a three-run home run to right center to tie the score up at 4-4. 

In the bottom of the seventh the Mavericks were not able to get on a runner base which sent the game to extras. The game didn't last too much longer though, as the Mavericks scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Klein led-off the inning with a single down the left field line and Mogren would later drop a sacrifice bunt to move Klein over to second. Moving the runner over paid off as the Mavericks next batter, junior Samantha Buhmann, hit the game-winning, walk-off RBI single to right center to bring Klein home.

In the game, Mogren went 2-of-3 from the plate and added two RBI and one run scored, while Klein finished 3-of-4 and two runs scored.

In game two, the Mavericks defeated the Cougars 8-2. Sophomore Libby Bemis [8-5] earned her eighth win of the season as she pitched all seven innings and struckout 4 batters. Bemis also held the league's top hitting team to just two hits. Starting for USF was Breanna Black [11-4] and she suffered her fourth loss of the season. Black pitched 3.1 innings and allowed eight earned runs and nine hits. Alyson Netty came in relief of Black in the fourth and finished out the game for the Cougars.

MSU got the scoring going right away in the top of the first as it pushed across three runs. Dana Mogren began the scoring as she reached on a fielder's choice that scored McKenzie Paap from third. Later in the inning with the bases loaded sophomore Jess Meidl recorded a two-RBI single through the right side that scored Mogren and Samantha Buhmann.

In the top of third the Cougars struck again with the long ball as Danielle Walker belted a two-run homer to left field to cut MSU's lead down to one, 3-2. In the bottom half of the third, the Mavericks retook their run lead to 5-2. Buhmann started the inning with a stand-up double to left center and few batters later junior Ashley Thell would bring her home as she drilled a two-run homer down the left field line.

In the next inning, MSU scored its final three runs of the game as it tallied four more hits. Tatum Klein started the scoring with a single down the right field line that scored McKenzie Paap from second. Next up for MSU was Mogren and she delivered again as she nailed a two-run homer to right field to open up the score to 8-2.

In the last three innings of the game Bemis held USF in check as she allowed only one base runner from the fifth inning on.

Pacing the Maverick offense in game two was again Mogren as she finished 2-of-4 from the batters box and added a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Paap was perfect from the plate finishing 4-of-4 with a double and two runs scored. Buhmann added two hits and two runs scored, while Thell and Meidl each recorded two RBI apiece in the win.

Overall, in two games the Mavericks offense tallied 25 hits, including six extra bases on the day. Paap went 5-of-7 from the plate in the two games and added three runs scored. Klein went 4-of-7 and tallied three runs scored and one RBI. Mogren also finished 4-of-7 from the plate and tallied five RBI and three runs scored.

Next up for the Mavericks will be a weekend roadtrip to northern Minnesota. MSU will take on Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston. The Mavericks first take on BSU in Bemidji, Minn. on Saturday with game times set for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. MSU will wrap-up the weekend against UMC in Crookston, Minn. and game times are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.