Edmond, Okla. --- The Minnesota State softball team lost to the Augustana Vikings 2-1 in the winner's bracket final in the NCAA Central Regional Championship, causing them to play the consolation bracket final against the Central Missouri Jennies. In the consolation game, the Mavericks shut out the Jennies and earned a 3-0 victory to advance to the regional championship.

With the results, the Mavericks move to 40-9 while the Vikings Improve to 46-6 and the Jennies season concludes with a 38-14 record. With their 40^th win, this Maverick squad becomes the 11^th team in program history to achieve 40 victories.
 
Game 1
 
Mackenzie Ward (23-5) started for the Mavericks and took the loss despite only allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven batters. Amber Elliot (20-2) started for the Vikings and earned the win pitching six innings, allowing one run on five hits before Ashley Mickschl pitched the seventh inning to earn the save.
 
In the top of the second inning, Hannah Hastings hit a one-out double into the left field gap and she was brought home by Madi Newman on the next at bat, putting Minnesota State up 1-0. The Vikings led off the bottom of the second with a double, but a pair of strikeouts from Ward and a foul pop out to Hastings kept Augustana off the scoreboard.
 
In the bottom of the third the Vikings threatened once more with a pair of baserunners and no outs, but Ward struck out the next two batters before walking the bases loaded. With two-out and the bases juiced, Ward sent down the hitter with a nasty strikeout pitch to keep Augustana scoreless.
 
Augustana tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when they connected on a one-out solo homer to left center field.
 
The deciding run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth when the Vikings had a runner at first with two out. Augustana hit a double into the right field gap that allowed the pinch runner to make it around the diamond for the go ahead run.
 
Game 2
 
Ward (24-5) started for the Mavericks and earned the win pitching six innings of scoreless ball, allowing only two hits while striking out 13 batters. McKayla Armbruster pitched the seventh inning for the Mavericks to earn the save and maintain the shutout. Sadie Parks (11-4) started for the Jennies and took the loss after allowing three runs, two of them earned, in five innings of work.
 
With rain bombarding the field in the top of the first inning, Torey Richards connected with a ball and powered it through the rain over the right field fence for a solo homer, giving the Mavericks the early lead.
 
Ward was dominant throughout the game, striking out the side three times, in the second, fourth and fifth innings.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, after chasing the Jennie's starter with no outs and runners on the corner, Carly Esselman scored from third on a passed ball.  With two out in the inning, Hailey Forshee connected on a single to centerfield that brought home Sydney Nielsen from second, putting Minnesota State up 3-0.
 
Armbruster entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a leadoff double before closing the door on a comeback as she pitched around the runner to keep the team shutout.
 
Richards finished the game 2-3 from the plate a homerun whileKacy Nickerson and Newman each stole a base in the game.
 
Ward's 13 strikeouts put her at 304 on the season, making her the second Maverick in program history to strike out at least three hundred batters with Coley Ries having done so twice with 434 in 2016 and 476 in 2017.
 
Esselman also made Maverick history as she played in her 227th and 228th games for the Purple and Gold, moving into seventh place all-time in program history.
 
Minnesota State will return to action tomorrow as they take on the Augustana Vikings once again in the regional championship. As the representative of the consolation bracket, the Mavericks would need to beat the Vikings twice tomorrow to win the NCAA Central Region whereas Augustana would only need a single victory. First pitch is scheduled for noon and if the Mavericks take game one, the winner-take-all game would begin at approximately 2:30 p.m.