Aberdeen, S.D. ---   The Minnesota State softball team picked up two more wins on Saturday afternoon against MSU Moorhead, which extends its winning streak to nine games. The Mavericks won by the scores of 6-0 and 7-3.

Sophomore Libby Bemis and senior Katie Koponen combined to throw a one-hit, shutout performance in the Mavericks 6-0 win over the Dragons. Bemis started for MSU and she earned her 11th win of the season after striking out six batters and allowing just one and one walk in six innings of work. Koponen came in relief in the seventh and she sent the Dragons batters down in order to close out the game.

Morgan Nybo [3-12] started for MSU Moorhead and she suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs, six hits and seven walks in seven innings pitched.

After leaving runners on base in the first and second innings, the Mavericks cashed in with two runs in the top of the third. Freshman McKenzie Paap and senior Tatum Klein were on third and second, respectively, with one out and junior Samantha Buhmann was able to record an RBI on a fielder's choice that brought in Paap for the Mavericks first run of the game. Sophomore Kara Lattery was next at the plate for MSU and she was able to lay down a sac bunt that allowed Klein to cross the plate for MSU second run of the inning.

Two more runs came across for the Mavericks in the fourth when Paap singled up the middle which scored junior Ashley Thell from second. Paap would eventually score her second run of the game after a couple of throwing errors from MSU Moorhead.

MSU went scoreless in its next two innings before pushing across two more runs in the top of the seventh. Thell delivered a two-RBI single to right field that brought home Buhmann and sophomore Jess Meidl to extend MSU's lead to 6-0.

Thell finished the game 2-of-3 from the plate and added two RBI and one run scored, while Paap also went 2-of-3 in the game, with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Klein finished with a team-high two stolen bases, while Meidl tallied three walks in the win.

In the second game of the day, MSU tallied 12 total hits and swiped five bases in its 7-3 win over MSU Moorhead. 

Junior Coley Ries [17-4] pitched a complete game after striking out 11 batters and allowing three earned runs on five hits and one walk. Kristen Nordby [5-7] recorded the loss for the Dragons as she allowed three earned runs, five hits and one walk in five innings pitched.

After going down in order in the top of the first, MSU tallied its first run of the game in the second. Samantha Buhmann began the inning with a lead-off single to right field and  eventually made it to second after a passed ball by the Dragons. Freshman Cori Kennedy brought Buhmann home later in the inning after she ripped an RBI-double to left center.

The Mavericks added three more runs in the third to push their score to 4-0 after compiling three hits in the inning. McKenzie Paap scored the first run of the inning when Buhmann singled down the left field line. Buhmann scored her second run of the game in consecutive innings as Ashley Thell recorded an RBI-single to right field. Jess Meidl scored the Mavericks third run of the inning after a fielding error from MSU Moorhead.

The Dragons cut the Mavericks lead in half in the bottom of the fourth as they pushed across two runs, when Kristi Bruni belted a two-run homer with two outs to left field that scored Carley Williamson as well.

The Mavericks extended their lead back to four in the top of the sixth when Tatum Klein ripped a two-RBI triple to right field that scored sophomore Kelly Grove and Paap.

MSU added one more insurance run in the top of the seventh. Jess Meidl stole third and came racing home after a throwing error from MSU Moorhead.

The Dragons scored their final run in the bottom half of the seventh when Morgan Anderson singled home Jill Fox.

Buhmann collected three hits, two runs scored and one RBI, while Paap and Meidl each finished with two hits and two runs scored in the win. 

With the sweep, the Mavericks improve their overall record to 30-9 overall and 13-2 in NSIC play.

MSU will close out the weekend with a doubleheader against Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D. Game times are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.