Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ST. CLOUD, Minn. --- Minnesota State finished its first trip of the season on a high note Saturday evening at the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, Minn.,  as it bested UW-Parkside 10-6 and Nebraska-Kearney 2-1.

With the wins, MSU improves to 3-1 on the season. With the loss, Parkside falls to 0-2 on the season, while UNK drops to 0-4.

MSU began the day with its 10-6 win over UW-Parkside. Sophomore Mackenzie Ward picked up the win as she allowed two runs, one earned, in four innings while posting six strikeouts. Sophomore Lexi Schoper threw three innings in relief and gave up four runs while striking out three.

Sophomore Courtney Potter went 3-of-4 at the plate, including a triple, while sophomore Emma Schifferle recorded two hits, including a double and a home run. Along with her two hits, Schifferle also drove in two runs and scored two runs. Senior McKenzie Paap tallied two hits, including a triple, to go along with a stolen base.

Minnesota State finished its day with a 2-1 win over the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. Ward (2-1) picked up the win, while Sarah Handrahan (0-2) was saddled with the loss. Ward allowed just one unearned run in seven innings, while striking out four. Handrahan allowed on run in two innings.

The Mavericks struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Paap drove in junior Kennedy Rieck with an RBI single. The Lopers were then able to answer right away in the top of the third as Carlee Liesch drove in Lauren Struebing with an RBI triple to knot up the score at 1-1.

The game remained tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth as both teams managed to get just one base runner each during the previous two innings. Junior Amber Kral opened the bottom half of the sixth with a walk, before sophomore Morgan Keim-Wolfe came on to pinch run. After a sacrifice bunt put Keim-Wolfe on second, freshman Hannah Hastings stepped up to plate and drove in what turned out to be the game winning run with and RBI double. The Lopers went down in order in the top of the seventh as MSU secured the 2-1 win.

Both Paap and senior Cori Kennedy finished the game with two hits.

Minnesota State returns to action on Friday, Feb. 15, as it takes on Harding and Arkansas-Monticello in Bentonville, Ark. Game times are scheduled for 9:00 a.m., and 1:00 p.m., respectively.



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