Mankato, Minn. --- Minnesota State opened its 2020 season with a pair of games against Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, a 4-3 loss, and Emporia State Hornets, a 3-0 win, in day one of the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic.

With the results, the Mavericks move to 1-1 on the season while the Bearcats improve to 2-0 and the Hornets move to 0-2. 

Game 1

Freshman Katie Bracken (0-1) started the game for Minnesota State, and took the loss while allowing four runs, two of them earned, on five hits and striking out five batters in six innings of work. Breck Dickey (1-0) started for the Bearcats and earned the win, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits.

The Bearcats capitalized on a scoring opportunity in the top of the first inning when a single brought home a runner from second base.  In the bottom of the inning the Mavericks responded with a single from Torey Richards that brought home Carly Esselman to tie the game at 1-1. 

Defense and pitching became the key over the next several innings before NWMSU got the tie-breaking run across in the fourth inning on a groundout to second that advanced the runner from third.  The Bearcats added a pair of runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 4-1 before MSU responded in the bottom of the sixth. 

Taking advantage of a wild pitch, Richards scored from third before Sydney Nielsen drilled a single down the left field line to drive in Hailey Forshee which cut the Bearcat lead to 4-3.  With the bases loaded and two out, Esselman grounded out to first to end the sixth inning rally. 
After MSU held the SWMSU scoreless in the seventh, the Mavericks managed to get Forshee on the basses with a single, but were unable to cash her in and tie the game, falling to the Bearcats 4-3

Forshee finished the game 3-3 from the plate with a walk and run scored while Emma Schifferle finished the game 2-3 to lead the Maverick offense.   

Game 2

Mackenzie Ward (1-0) started the game for Minnesota State, throwing a complete game shutout and limiting the Hornets to three hits while striking out 12 batters. Kelsey Philips (0-1) pitched six innings for Emporia State, allowing three runs, two of them earned, on eight hits, to take the loss.

The game was a pitchers duel from the outset, and in the first inning catcher Hannah Hastings threw out a pair of runners attempting to steal second to keep the Hornets off the scoreboard. 

Minnesota State was first to strike in the game when Sydney Nelson Drilled a homerun to left field that drove home Nielson and giving the Mavericks a 2-0 lead.  After a stolen base and wild pitch got her to third base, Kayla Moky scored from third on a fielding error to extend the lead to 3-0. 

With a runner at first for the Hornets, Hastings once again threw a dart to second to pick off an attempted steal for the third time, insuring the Maverick victory. 

Nielson and Esselman each went 2-3 from the plate while Nelson recorded two RBI on the two-run homer. 

Minnesota State will return to action tomorrow afternoon when it will once again face off with Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State.  Projected start times for those games are 3:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m., dependent on the completion of earlier games.