MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team earned a pair of wins Wednesday afternoon as the Mavericks defeated Sioux Falls by the scores of 4-1 in game one and 4-3 in game two.

MSU now owns a 24-14 record, including a 13-7 NSIC record. With the losses, USF now owns an 18-19 record, including a 9-9 conference record.

Game 1 Recap

Minnesota State began the day with a 4-1 win over Sioux Falls in game one.

Junior McKayla Armbruster (14-7) earned the win as she allowed one run, while striking out three in the complete game effort. Kait Van Der Zwaag (12-6) took the loss as she allowed four runs in 4.2 innings.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as junior Ellie Tallman led off the inning with a solo home run to right field. MSU held its 1-0 lead into the fourth, but USF has able to string together three hits, including an RBI-single from Megan Lawson, to tie the score at 1-1.

The game remained tied into the bottom of the fifth, but freshman Ava Smithson put the Mavericks up 2-1 with a solo home run down the left field line. The Cougars managed to get the second out, but a walk to sophomore Emma Dennison brought up junior Madi Newman who blasted a two-run home run to left field to put MSU up 4-1.

Armbruster would strand a total of three USF runners on base in the final two innings as the Mavericks claimed the 4-1 win.

Tallman, Smithson and freshman Gianna Lara each recorded two hits in the game. Smithson now has 11 home runs on the season.

Game 2 Recap

Minnesota State finished the day with a 4-3 win in game two that saw the Mavericks rally from a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh.

Armbruster (15-7) earned the win in relief as she allowed one run in 1.1 innings. Junior Kacy Nickerson got the no decision as she allowed two runs in 5.2 innings. Hanna Cress (3-10) took the loss as she allowed four runs, while striking out eight, in 6.2 innings.

The game remained scoreless through the first four innings, but in the top of the fifth USF managed to get runners on first and second with two outs. Van Der Zwaag then notched a two-run double to left center to put the Cougars up 2-0.

USF managed to get another run in the top of the seventh off an RBI-single from Lawson, but Armbruster was able to stave off further damage as the Cougars left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh sophomore Cheyenne Behrends led off with a walk, before a one-out double from Newman left runners at second and third. The Cougars managed to get the second out but a single up the middle from Lara drove in both Behrends and Newman to cut USF's lead to 3-2. Freshman KK Laux would then come on to run for Lara.

Junior Sydney Nelson kept the inning alive with a single to left field, before a fielding error in left let Laux and Nelson move up to third and second. Pinch hitter Courtney Baxter then coaxed a walk to load the bases for Tallman. Tallman then hit a single to right field that drove in both Laux and Nelson to give the Mavericks the 4-3 win.

Newman finished game two with three hits, while both Tallman and Lara drove in a pair of runs.

Minnesota State continues its season on the road this Saturday as it takes on the MSU Moorhead Dragons. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.