Rochester, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team began postseason play with a 6-0 victory against the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs in the NSIC Softball Tournament.
 
With the win, Minnesota State improves its record to 35-7 on the season, while the Mustangs drop 27-19.
 
Mackenzie Ward (20-3) started for the Mavericks and earned the win after pitching five scoreless innings while striking out eight batters and only allowing a pair of hits. Katie Bracken entered the game in the sixth inning where she allowed one hit but kept the Mustangs off the board. McKayla Armbruster entered the circle in the seventh and allowed one hit but clinched the shutout victory.
 
Shelby Bloemendaal (9-7) started for the Mustangs and took the loss after pitching three innings where she allowed five runs, four of them earned, on six hits.

In the second inning, the Mavericks put the first run on the board when a sharply hit single down the left field line from Carly Esselman scored Madi Newman. Minnesota State added another run when Kylie Sullivan scored after an errant throw from shortstop to first on a grounder.
 
With a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the third, Newman crushed a homer, her fifth this season, to left field to put the Mavericks up 5-0. Esselman scored in the bottom of the fourth inning when Torey Richards hit a single straight through the middle of the diamond.

Defenses held for both teams through the final two and a half innings, wrapping up the 6-0 win for the Mavericks.
 
Esselman hit 2-3 from the plate with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. Newman finished the game 1-2 with three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
 
Minnesota State will continue NSIC Softball Tournament play tomorrow at noon when it takes on St, Cloud State. The Huskies advanced after defeating Winona State earlier this afternoon. Earlier this season, the Mavericks and Huskies split doubleheader.