Photo credit: photos.paap.net

MANKATO, Minn. --- The #21 Minnesota State softball team swept Wayne State, 12-1, and, 16-1, Sunday afternoon at the MSU Softball Diamond. 

Following the wins, the Mavericks improve to 28-4 (6-0 NSIC) on the season while the Wildcats fall to 6-24 (0-6 NSIC). MSU is undefeated through six games of NSIC play.

In game one, Minnesota State topped Wayne State, 12-1. Senior pitcher Coley Ries (14-2) threw a complete game with six strikeouts in five innings of work. With the win, she ties Kendra Huetll (2009-12) for second all-time with 92 career wins. Nataliah Hopkins (6-13) picks up the loss after pitching 2.2 innings and giving up nine hits. 

The Mavericks opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning when junior Jess Meidl singled up the middle to drive in two runs. Senior Dana Mogren followed up in the same inning with a double to make the score 4-0. Minnesota State stretched its lead when freshman Carly Esselman and junior Alyssa Rickels both laced RBI singles to make the score 6-0 in the bottom of the third inning.

In the top of the 4th inning the Wildcats homered to right field off the bat of Melanie Alyea to pull within five, 6-1. However,  Minnesota State continued to swing a hot bat as freshman Amber Kral singled up the middle to bring in Meidl, 7-1. Following a Mogren RBI bunt, sophomore Cori Kennedy went deep with a three run blast to stretch the advantage into double-digits, 12-1. It was her third home run of the season. 

Minnesota State recorded 15 hits with Meidl posting a game-high three with two runs and two RBI. 

In game two, the Mavericks breezed by the Wildcats, 16-1. Junior Libby Bemis (14-2) tossed four innings with three strikeouts. Hopkins (6-14) takes the loss after pitching 1.1 innings and giving up seven hits.  

The Wildcats started the scoring when Rachel Shumaker singled to drive in a run to take an early 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. Minnesota State answered in the bottom half with a lead off single and stolen base from sophomore McKenzie Paap. Meidl followed it up with a double to left center field driving in Paap, 1-1. Senior Samantha Buhmann singled up the middle to bring in one more run to capture the lead, 2-1. Minnesota State scored two more runs to make it 4-1 with Mogren and Esselman both claiming fielder's choice RBIs. 

In the bottom of the second, Meidl again knocked in Paap from second increasing the Maverick lead to 5-1. Kral jumped in on the scoring by hitting a single up the middle to bring in Meidl. Buhmann and Mogren both added RBI's by singling through the left side in back-to-back at bats, 8-1. The scoring came to a close in the second inning with a RBI sacrifice fly from Kennedy making it 9-1.

Meidl continued to have a day when she hit her fifth home run of the season to center field, 10-1, in the bottom of the third. Minnesota State went on to add six more runs in the fourth to increase its advantage to 16-1. Freshman pitcher Bria Majeski appeared in the fifth inning and closed out the win with the eight run rule taking effect.

The Mavericks posted 17 hits while the Wildcats notched five hits. Meidl registered a game-high four hits with three runs and three RBI. 

Minnesota State returns to action when it travels to Sioux Falls on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.