Edmond, Okla. --- The Minnesota State softball team defeated the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos 2-0 in the NCAA Central Regional Tournament to advance to the winners' bracket finale against the Augustana Vikings tomorrow.
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 39-8 and the Bronchos fall to 36-13 and enter the consolation bracket.
Mackenzie Ward (23-4) started for the Mavericks and earned the complete game shutout victory, striking out seven batters and only allowing four hits. Kylee Lynch (19-6) started for the Bronchos and took the loss pitching five innings while allowing two runs on four hits.
The Mavericks first hit of the game came with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Torey Richards hit a ball on the ground and deep to the shortstop and there was no throw to be made. The next batter,
Hannah McCarville, hit a single into right field to put runners at first and second buy a lineout and groundout to the pitcher kept the game scoreless.
In the bottom of the fifth inning,
Madi Newman led off with a double into the left centerfield gap, putting herself in scoring position. After a sac bunt from
Sydney Nelson that advanced
Newman to third,
Kylie Sullivan powered a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence to put the Mavericks up 2-0.
Newman,
Sullivan and
Richards all hit 1-2 from the plate with both RBI coming from
Sullivan on her two-run homerun.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Bronchos loaded the bases with two outs, but Ward was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout.
Central Oklahoma once again threatened in the top of the seventh inning, leading off with back to back singles followed by a sac bunt to move runners to third and second. Ward once again shook off the pressure and struck out the final two batters of the game to earn the shutout victory.
The Mavericks return to action tomorrow in the winner's bracket finale against the Augustana Vikings with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. This will mark the sixth time the Mavericks and Vikings will play one another this season, with Minnesota State Recently defeating Augustana in two out of three games to win the NSIC Tournament Championship.
With winner of tomorrow's game will advance to the championship round of the double elimination NCAA Regional Tournament.
