MOORHEAD, Minn. --- The #17 Minnesota State softball defeated the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons twice on the road, 2-0 and 9-1 (5 innings). With the sweep, the Mavericks now own a 30-7 record, including a 19-5 NSIC record. With the losses, the Dragons drop to 7-30, including a 5-18 conference record. The Mavericks have extended their winning streak to 10 games and have won 13 of their last 14 outings.
 
Game 1
 
Junior Mackenzie Ward (17-3) picked up the win as she threw her seventh complete game shutout of the season. Ward, who struck out 14 batters, also extended her scoreless inning streak to 48 innings while allowing four hits. Anna Lang (3-16) took the loss as she gave up two runs on five hits in the complete game effort.
 
The Mavericks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as senior Carly Esselman led off the game with a triple, before freshman Sydney Nielsen drove her in with an RBI-single to put the Mavericks up 1-0. The Mavericks then put runners on the corners in the top of the second, before some crafty base running allowed junior Hannah Hastings to steal home to put MSU up 2-0.
 
The 2-0 score would hold the rest of the way as both teams combined to leave eight runners on base.
 
Both Esselman and Hasting each recorded a hit and a run scored, while Nielsen notched one hit and one RBI.
 
Game 2
 
McKayla Armbruster (11-3) started for Minnesota State and earned the win throwing four innings allowing one run on four hits while striking out four. Katie Bracken finished the game for the Mavericks pitching the final inning without allowing a baserunner. Reece Dahl (4-13) started for the Dragons and took the loss allowing nine runs, five of them earned on three hits, allowing 12 walks.
 
As they had in the first game, the Maverick got on the scoreboard right away to open game two. The Mavericks scored three runs behind two hits, including an RBI-double from senior Hannah McCarville. MSU's other two runs scored via a Dragon throwing error.
 
The second inning saw the Mavericks add two more runs to go up 5-0. The Mavericks coaxed a total of five walks in the inning and scored their runs via a groundout by McCarville and a Dragon throwing error.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Dragons put their first run of the day on the board after putting together a three-hit inning to cut the Maverick lead to 5-1.

In the fifth inning, Minnesota State put two more runs on the board when Kylie Sullivan hit a bases loaded single. After loading the bases once more, the Mavericks plated an additional pair of runs on a sac fly after the throw to the infield was errant. Bracken pitched the final three outs to earn the 9-1 run rule victory.
 
Minnesota State wraps up its regular season schedule next weekend at home with a pair of doubleheaders beginning on Saturday, May 8, as it takes on Southwest Minnesota State. Game times are scheduled for 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.