Photo credit: photos.paap.net

MANKATO, Minn.  ---  The #6 Minnesota State softball team outlasted Augustana, 4-3, to earn the NCAA Region 2 title Saturday afternoon at the MSU Softball Diamond.

With the win, Minnesota State (57-6) pushes its win streak to 27 games and advances to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time since 2011. The Super Regional will take place May 18-19 with a time and location yet to be announced. With the loss, Augustana finishes the season with a 40-16 overall record. 

Senior pitcher Coley Ries (34-2) earns the win tossing seven strikeouts in a complete game. She has now reached the 400 strikeout plateau this season with 403. Junior Lexy Pederson (19-5) picks up the loss with one strikeout over three innings. Freshman Oliva Walters also appeared for four innings with one strikeout. 

Sophomore McKenzie Paap set the tone for the Mavericks with a leadoff double. Junior Jess Meidl then stole momentum with a home run shot to right center putting Minnesota State on the scoreboard, 2-0.  It was her 10th long ball of the season and her second in three games. 

Following a scoreless second and third frame, Augustana applied pressure as sophomore Shannon Peterson connected on her six home run of the season driving in senior Sarah Kennedy to lock the game, 2-2. Minnesota State retaliated in the fifth stanza as freshman Amber Kral connected on a infield single sending Meidl across to snatch the lead, 3-2. 

In the sixth inning, sophomore Cori Kennedy hit a single to right field that would bring senior Dana Mogren home to increase the advantage to 4-2. Augustana attempted to rally in the seventh as junior Kylie Rome was able to score a run after a sac fly to right field off the bat of freshman Kara McDougall to make the score 4-3. However, Ries then sealed the game for the Mavericks striking out the next batter swinging to secure the 4-3 win. 

Minnesota State totaled nine hits as a team while Augustana recorded three hits. Three Mavericks reached double digits in the hit column: Senior Ashley Thell (2), Meidl (2), and Kennedy (2) to round out the top performers.