Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Minnesota State softball team has extended its winning streak to five games as it defeated the University of the Sciences 10-0 in five innings and Wilmington 3-2 in eight innings.

The Mavericks now own a 9-5 record on the season.

Minnesota State finished its day with a 3-2 victory over the Wilmington Wildcats in eight innings. Sophomore Mackenzie Ward (4-5) picked up the win as she allowed just two runs, one earned, and three hits in eight innings while striking out six. Makayla McCarthy (0-1) took the loss as she gave up three runs, two earned, in 7.2 innings.

Wilmington struck first in the top of the second inning. With and runner on second and one out, Angela Antonini drove in Alexis Sann with an RBI single. Ward managed to strikeout the next to batters to get out of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, senior McKenzie Paap opened the inning with a walk and eventually reach third base after a sac bunt and a double by senior Cori Kennedy. With runners on second and third and two outs, freshman Hannah Hastings drove in Paap with a single left field to knot up the score at 1-1. McCarthy struck out freshman Kayla Moky to end the threat in the fourth. 

After both teams went down in order in the fifth, the Wildcats were able to load the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Ward was able to strike out the pinch hitting Annie Davila to keep the score tied 1-1. MSU managed to get runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh with two gone but a pop up by sophomore Julia Bastian sent the game into extras.

With the international tie breaker rule both teams had a runner placed on second at the start of the eighth inning. After advancing WU's runner to third with a sacrifice bunt to open the eight, Lauren Lopez notched a sacrifice fly left field to bring in the go ahead run.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eight, sophomore Courtney Potter moved Bastian over to third with a sacrifice bunt. Paap then reach first base with a single, while Bastian remained at third. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance as MSU evened the score at 2-2. After a ground out and a walk to Kennedy, sophomore Emma Schifferle singled up the middle to plate Paap to give the Mavericks the 3-2 win.

Six different Mavericks recorded a hit, while Paap scored two runs.

MSU began the day with a 10-0 win over the University of Sciences in five innings. Junior Carly Esselman recorded a two-run home run in the win, while freshman Haylee Bridges posted a two-run single.

Minnesota State continues its Florida trip on Wednesday as it Mercyhurst at 8:00 a.m. (CST) and Southern Indiana at 12:30 p.m. (CST).

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