Photo Credit: photos.paap.net

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. --- The Minnesota State softball team topped Nebraska-Kearney, 8-3, and Northwest Missouri State, 3-0, at the Hy-Vee Classic Saturday afternoon. 

With the wins, the Mavericks improve to 21-3 on the season and have won their last 15 straight games.

In game one, Minnesota State downed Nebraska-Kearney, 8-3. Junior pitcher Libby Bemis (10-2) threw a complete game to earn the win with nine strikeouts. Sara Sempack (2-5) takes the loss after pitching three innings with two strikeouts. 

Minnesota State struck first with a 1-0 edge after Ashley Thell flied out to right field sending McKenzie Paap home. The Lopers answered to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning after a two run RBI home run. 

After a scoreless second stanza, the Mavericks locked the game, 2-2, after a Carly Esselman unearned run. Minnesota State then captured the lead in the fifth inning with runs from Samantha Buhmann and Caitlin Stone to make the score 4-2. The Mavericks continued to swing a hot bat in the sixth inning to increase its lead to 8-2 after Alyssa Rickels singled down the left field line to send Dana Mogren home. Minnesota State went on to close out the final inning and earn the 8-3 victory. 

The Mavericks totaled 15 hits as team with Buhmann and Thell each posting a team-best three hits . 

In game two, Minnesota State blanked Northwest Missouri State, 3-0. Senior Coley Ries (11-2) earned the win after pitching a complete game with 12 strikeouts. With the victory, Ries passed Courtney McKelvogue (2010-13) to move into third all-time with 89 career wins. Kaitlin Weis  picks up the loss pitching 4.2 innings with one strikeout. 

Following four scoreless innings to open the game, the Mavericks got on the scoreboard after Mogren connected on a RBI double to center sending Amber Kral home, 1-0. Buhmann then drove in Mogren with a RBI single to make the score 2-0. Later in the inning, Paap delivered a single to right field allowing Buhmann to tally the Mavericks third run of the game, 3-0. 

Minnesota State totaled five hits while Northwest Missouri State posted three hits. The Mavericks left three on base in comparison to the Bearcats who left six on base. 

Minnesota State will return to action tomorrow vs. Pittsburg State at 9:00 a.m., and vs. #18 Missouri Western State at 11:00 a.m.