CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Minnesota State softball team suffered a pair of losses Tuesday as it fell to Northwood 3-2 in nine inning and Grand Valley State 2-0.

With the losses, MSU drops to 9-7 on the season.

Game 1 Recap

Junior McKayla Armbruster (6-3) took the loss in relief as she allowed one unearned in one inning. Sophomore Sophia Del Vecchio threw five innings and allowed two runs, one earned. Hailey Leister (6-4) earned the win as she gave up two runs, one earned, in the complete game effort. 

The Timberwolves struck first in the top of the first inning as Delanie Gale hit a solo home run to right field to put NU up 1-0. The Mavericks would then take the lead in their half of the third inning as an RBI-ground out from junior Madi Newman and an RBI-single from sophomore Cheyenne Behrends put MSU up 2-1.

In the top of the fifth, Northwood's Gianna Fantin reached base via an error to open the inning. A sacrifice bunt and a single moved Fantin to third before she scored via a sacrifice fly from Ashley Ziel to tie the game at 2-2.

The game remained tied heading into extra innings. With the international tied breaker rule in effect, but teams managed to get a runner to third in the eighth inning but neither team could get a run across as the game moved into the ninth inning.

In the top of the ninth with two outs, Haley Frank was able to put the Timberwolves in front 3-2 as she hit an RBI-double to right center. Freshman Ava Smithson was placed on second to start the bottom of the nine for the Mavericks. Smithson advanced to third on a groundout but the Timberwolves were able to get the final two outs to hang on to the 3-2 win.

Senior Sydney Nielsen notched two hits for the Mavericks.
 
Game 2 Recap

Minnesota State finished its day with a 2-0 loss to Grad Valley State.

Armbruster (6-4) took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, in six innings. Hanna Beatus (3-1) earned the win as she threw seven shutout innings, while giving up just four hits.

The Lakers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With two outs and runners on the corners, a fielder's choice and an error allowed the runner on third to cross the plate, before the Mavericks got out of the inning. GVSU added another run in the third inning to go up 2-0. With one out Hannah Hollister singled and stole second. She was then driven in with a double by Lydia Goble.

The Mavericks opened the fourth inning with a single from Smithson and a walk to Behrends, but the Mavericks could not bring them around to score. After being set down in order in the fifth and sixth innings, MSU managed to get two runners on with one out in the top of the seventh. A ground out and a strikeout ended the Maverick threat in the seventh as the Lakers secured the 2-0 win.

Minnesota State finishes its Florida trip this Thursday as it takes on Franklin Pierce (8:00 a.m. CST) and Lynn (10:15 a.m. CST).