Photo credit: Photos.paap.net

FAYETTE, Iowa --- The Minnesota State softball team swept Upper Iowa, 8-0, and, 1-0, Tuesday afternoon at Eischeid Softball Complex. 

The Mavericks (46-6, 24-2 NSIC) extend their win streak to a season-high 16 games. With the loss, Upper Iowa falls to 17-31 overall and 9-16 NSIC on the season. 

In game one, Minnesota State used a fast start to cruise past Upper Iowa, 8-0, in five innings. Senior pitcher Coley Ries (24-2) wins her 13th consecutive start tossing nine strikeouts. Erin Drahozal (6-10) takes the loss allowing eight hits with no strikeouts in .2 innings pitched. 

The Mavericks scored all eight runs in the opening stanza as freshman Amber Kral got the scoring started with an RBI single to center field to send junior Jess Meidl home, 1-0. Senior Samantha Buhmann followed up with an RBI single to the shortstop as senior Ashley Thell got across to make the score 2-0. 

Later in the first inning, sophomore Cori Kennedy delivered an RBI double to left center which would score senior Dana Mogren and Buhmann, 5-0. After a juniorAlyssa Rickels walk, sophomore McKenzie Paap blasted a two run RBI triple to left field to increase the lead to 7-0. Meidl then drove home Paap with a single to make the score 8-0. The Maverick defense held strong for the game's final four innings allowing only three hits as Ries increased her scoreless streak to 51.3 innings. 

Meidl led the Mavericks with four hits, one run, and one RBI. Paap contributed three hits, two RBI, and one run. 

In game two, Minnesota State edged Upper Iowa, 1-0. Junior pitcher Libby Bemis (22-4) picks up the win tossing three strikeouts with five hits over 6.0 innings of work. Emily Kisch drops to 7-14 on the season after throwing two strikeouts over 7.0 innings. 

Following three scoreless innings, Minnesota State attempted to get on scoreboard as both Kral and freshman Carly Esselman got on base but were not able to get home in the top of the fourth.  Upper Iowa loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth as Katie Sammons connected on a hit to left field only to be robbed at the fence by Paap to end the inning and keep the contest scoreless. 

Minnesota State then stole momentum in the top of the seventh as Thell used an RBI sacrifice fly to left field which would send Rickels home for the game-winning run, 1-0. Ries was then called upon to make her fourth save of the season in the bottom half in which she recorded one strikeout to close out the Peacocks. 

Minnesota State totaled six with Meidl and Paap each registering a team-best two hits 

The Mavericks return to the diamond on Saturday at U-Mary. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.