Mankato, Minn. --- The #17 Minnesota State softball extended its win streak to 12 games after defeating the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs twice with a pair of shutout run-rule victories, both by a score of 14-0. With the wins, Minnesota State moves to 32-7 (21-5 NSIC) on the season while Mustangs drop to 25-17 (16-12 NSIC).


Game 1

Mackenzie Ward (18-3) started the game for the Mavericks and pitched a five-inning shutout, extending a scoreless inning streak which began April 11 to 53 innings. In this game Ward allowed only three hits while striking out nine batters. Megan Cull (12-6) started for the Mustangs and took the loss allowing three runs on four hits in a single inning of action.
 
While defense and pitching were impressive throughout the game, the Maverick offense stole the show early and often. In the bottom of the first inning Minnesota State opened the game with a string of singles that brought three runs across the plate as all nine starters recorded an at-bat.

In the bottom of the second, the offense showed no signs of slowing as Carly Esselman led off with a solo homer to left centerfield before the team went through the order once more, bringing a total of four runs home in the second and extending the lead to 7-0.
 
In the third, the offense continued to find holes in the Mustang defense and a Madi Newman two-out, two-RBI triple capped off another four-run inning for the Mavericks. Minnesota State would add three more runs in the fourth inning and despite allowing the Mustangs to load the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth, Ward struck out three straight batters to maintain the shutout and her scoreless inning streak.
 
Newman finished the game 3-3 with four RBI and a walk while Esselman, Sydney Nielsen, Torey Richards and Hannah McCarville each recorded two hits and combined for four more RBI.
 
Game 2

McKayla Armbruster (12-3) started for Minnesota State and earned the win throwing three innings of scoreless ball, only allowing two hits while striking out five batters. Katie Bracken pitched a scoreless inning of relief only allowing a single hit and Kacy Nickerson finished the game with an inning pitched also only allowing a single hit. Shelby Bloemendaal (7-7) started for the Mustangs and took the loss allowing 14 runs, only six of them earned, in four innings of work.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the only such inning that Minnesota State would record on the day, the Mavericks put six runs on the board in the bottom of the second, punctuated by a three-run bases clearing double from Nielsen.
 
The third inning began with a pair of Mavericks getting on base before Sydney Nelson absolutely blasted a three-run homer over the left field fence.
 
Minnesota State continued to put hit after hit together and added four more runs in the third before scoring the 14^th and final run of the game in the fourth inning.
 
Nielsen finished the game 3-4 from the plate with five RBI while Nelson finished 2-3 with three RBI. McCarville, Hannah Hastings, Richards each finished the game with a pair of hits.
 
Minnesota State will finish the 2021 regular season with an afternoon doubleheader against the Sioux Falls Cougars with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. A senior day ceremony will honor the Maverick seniors prior the start of game one.