BENTONVILLE, Ark.  ---  The Minnesota State softball team shutout Arkansas Tech, 8-0, before falling to Arkansas Monticello in game two, 3-1, Saturday afternoon at the UAM 8-State Classic.

In game one, the Mavericks shutout Arkansas Tech, 8-0. With the win, head coach Lori Meyer earned her 1,100th career win. Senior pitcher Coley Ries got the win pitching seven innings  while striking out ten batters. Jalissa Gum takes the loss after pitching three innings with five strikeouts and allowing three hits. 

The game was at standstill until the top of the third inning when Minnesota State erupted for four runs after Samantha Buhmann RBI triple down the right field line sending Amber Kral home to make the score, 4-0. 

The Mavericks stretched their lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth after McKenzie Paap doubled down the left field line for a two run RBI. Minnesota State went on to add one more run in the top of the sixth inning after Carly Esselman hit a home run to center field securing the 8-0 win . 

The Mavericks recorded 10 hits and eight RBI as a team while the Golden Suns posted one hit.

In game two, Minnesota State fell to Arkansas Monticello, 3-1. Kendra Coleman earned her fourth win of the season after pitching a complete game while recording one strikeout and giving up eight hits. Junior pitcher Libby Bemis took the loss after pitching four innings with three strikeouts and five hits. 

The Boll Weevils struck early in the bottom of the first inning after a fly out down the right field line allowing two unearned runs to come home and make the score, 2-0. Neither team would then score until Arkansas Monitcello connected for a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase its lead to 3-0. 

An Ashley Thell RBI single up the middle in the top of the sixth inning allowed Jess Meidl to get home to cut the deficit down to two, 3-1. However, the Mavericks would not be able to come any closer and went on to drop the game, 3-1.  

Following today's games, Minnesota State moves to 6-2 overall on the season. The Mavericks return to action tomorrow against Pittsburg State at 9:00 a.m., and Central Missouri at 11:00 a.m.