Emporia, Kan. --- The Minnesota State softball team picked up a pair of wins on the first day of the Emporia State Classic, a 7-2 win over Southwest Baptist and 7-0 win over Washburn.

With the results, the Mavericks move to 5-1 on the season while the Bearcats fell to 0-5 and Washburn dropped to 8-3

Game 1

McKayla Armbruster (2-0) started the game for the Mavericks and pitched six innings in the win striking out four batters allowing only one run on three hits. Katie Bracken pitched one-inning of relief striking out a batter and allowing a run on two hits.

In the bottom of the second, the Bearcats struck first with a solo homerun to centerfield. Minnesota State responded in the top of the third when Madi Newman drilled a solo homer to centerfield.

Both teams kept the scoreboard clean until the Mavericks exploded in the fourth inning with a series of well-placed singles and dangerous base running gave them bases loaded with one out before Newman hit a single that brought a run home, giving Minnesota State a 2-1 lead.

Carly Esselman then hit a single into left field that scored two more runs before Torey Richards brought another run home with a single and Hailey Forshee finished the inning with a double that scored a run and gave the Mavericks a 6-1 lead.

Newman capped off her excellent game with a single in the top of the sixth which scored Minnesota State's seventh run of the game. Southwest Baptist scored an additional run in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little too late, and the Mavericks earned the 7-2 win.

Newman led the offense going 3-3 with three RBI and two runs scored while Esselman went 2-3 with two RBI and Richards finished going 3-3 with a walk.

Game 2

Mackenzie Ward (3-1) started for the Mavericks and earned the win pitching five innings while striking out five and only allowing a pair of hits. Bracken pitched the final two-innings of relief, striking out two and allowing two hits as Minnesota State earned the shutout.

The Mavericks did all of their damage in the third inning which started when Newman hit her second homerun of the day to centerfield, this one another solo shot. Esselman then hit a double before stealing third base and then using an overthrown ball to make it home.

Minnesota State got another runner across the base before Hannah McCarville crushed a three-run homer to centerfield giving MSU a 6-0 lead. The scoring came to a close in the inning when Sydney Nelson hit a single that brought Kylie Sullivan home. With defense and pitching limiting the Ichabods to four hits spread throughout the game, the Mavericks cruised to the 7-0 victory.

McCarville finished the game 3-4 with three RBI while Newman finished 1-2 with an RBI and a walk.

The Mavericks return to action tomorrow with a pair of games against Missouri-St. Louis University and the University of Illinois Springfield with the games scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.