CLERMONT, Fla. --- Minnesota State opened its Florida trip with a split Saturday afternoon as it fell to Western Oregon 3-2, before defeating #1 Saint Anselm 7-2.
The Mavericks now own a 5-5 record on the season.
MSU began the day with a 3-2 loss to WOU. Haley Fabian (3-0) picked up the win for the Wolves as she allowed two runs, one earned, in seven innings while striking out six. Sophomore
Mackenzie Ward (2-5) took the loss as she gave up three uneared runs, while fanning six.
The Mavericks got on the board right away in the top of the first as a sacrifice fly from sophomore
Torey Richards plated senior McKenzie Paap to put MSU up 1-0. Sophomore
Emma Schifferle increased MSU's lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth as she led off with solo shot to center field.
Minnesota State carried the 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but WOU would rally for three runs to claim the 3-2 win. Kennedy Coy reached second base via an error to open the inning, before Ayanna Arceneaux drove her in with an RBI single.
Tyler Creach, who represented the winning run then reach base via another MSU error. Ward managed to get the next two batters out, but back-to-back RBI singles by Jenna Kelly and Mariah Deleon proved to be the difference as WOU claimed the 3-2 win.
Paap, junior
Carly Esselman and sophomore
Julia Bastian each tallied a pair of hits against the Wolves.
The Mavericks were able to finish the day on a high note as they bested #1 Saint Anselm by the score of 7-2. Bastian (2-0) picked up the win as she allowed just two runs, one earned, in six innings of work. Morgan Perry (3-2) was saddled with the loss as she gave up two runs in three innings. Ward picked up her second save of the season as well.
Saint Anselm struck first in the top of the second to go up 1-0. The Hawks led off the inning with a pair of singles, with Maggie Murphy eventually scoring via a Maverick error. MSU eventually tied up the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the third as Paap drove in freshman
Kayla Moky with an RBI single.
In the bottom of the fourth MSU took advantage of three Saint Anselm errors to go up 5-1. Junior
Amber Kral led off the inning with a solo shot to left center, which led to Courtney Fisher taking over in the circle for the Hawks. A single by freshman
Hannah Hastings and three errors eventually brought around three more runs for Mavericks before the Hawks could get out of the inning.
Saint Anselm managed to get a run back in the top of the fifth after a sacrifice fly from Jordan O'Connor plated Erin Thompson, but MSU scored two more runs in the bottom of the frame behind an RBI single from Kral and a passed ball to go up 7-2.
Saint Anselm managed to get its first two batters on base in the top of the seventh, but Ward came on in relief of Bastian to get the save as the Hawks left three runners stranded.
Kral tallied two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Moky scored twice as well.
Minnesota State continues its Florida trip on Sunday as it takes on Felician at 8:15 a.m. (CST) and Edinboro at 10:30 a.m. (CST).
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