WINONA, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team picked up a pair of wins Tuesday afternoon as the Mavericks swept Winona State by the scores of 6-5 (8 innings) and 4-2.

With the wins, MSU improves to 28-16, including a 17-9 NSIC record. With the losses, WSU drops to 33-14, including a 16-6 conference record.

Game 1 Recap

Minnesota State began the day with a 6-5 win in eight innings in game one.

Junior McKayla Armbruster (18-8) earned the win as she allowed five runs, while striking out seven in eight innings. Abby Smith (16-5) took the loss as she gave up six runs in eight innings.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 5-0 lead right away in the top of the first. Freshman Ava Smithson notched her 12th home run of the season to put the Mavericks up 1-0. Following the Smithson home run, the Mavericks loaded the bases via a single and two walks, before senior Sydney Nielsen drove in all three runners with a triple to left field. Freshman Gianna Lara then drove in Nielsen with a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 5-0.

The Warriors would get a run back in the bottom of the first as Marissa Mullen notched a solo home run to right center. In the bottom of the third, WSU's Carly Englehardt drove in another run with a single to cut MSU's lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Warriors rallied for two more runs on three hits to cut MSU's lead to one at 5-4. Savannah Serdynski notched an RBI-triple before being driven in by a single from Abbie Hlas.

MSU's 5-4 lead held until the bottom of the seventh, but Englehardt led off the inning with a solo home run down the left field line to tie the game at 5-5. WSU managed to get the winning run to second base with one out but Armbruster got the last two outs to get out of the jam.

In the top of the eighth, Smith got the first two outs before Lara blasted a solo home run to right field to put the Mavericks back in front 6-5. Armbruster would set the Warriors down in order in the bottom of the eighth to secure the 6-5 win.

Nielsen finished with three RBI, while Lara recorded two. Smithson and sophomore Marina Carter each recorded two hits as well.

Game 2 Recap

Minnesota State finished the day with a 4-2 win over Winona State in game two.

Junior Kacy Nickerson (5-4) earned the win as she allowed just two runs on eight hits in the complete game effort. Skylar Calmes (5-2) took the loss as she allowed four runs in five innings.

The Mavericks got on the board first in the top of the third as back-to-back doubles from junior Ellie Tallman and Smithson put MSU 1-0. The Warriors answered right back in the bottom of the third as an RBI-double from Hlas would tie the score at 1-1.

The Warriors managed to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth as a two-out single from Macy Brodin drove in Teaghen Amwoza to put the Warriors up 2-1.

MSU then responded with a three-run top of the fifth to jump back in front 4-2. Sophomore Cheyenne Behrends notched a one-out single, before a double from sophomore Emma Dennison drove her in to tie the game at 2-2. The Mavericks then loaded the bases for Lara who then drove in two more runs with a single to center field to put MSU up 4-2.

Nickerson would strand five more WSU runners on base through the final three innings as the Mavericks finished the sweep with a 4-2 win.

Minnesota State concludes its regular season schedule this weekend as it hosts a pair of doubleheaders starting with Minot State on Saturday, at 1:00 p.m. MSU then finishes the weekend with a noon doubleheader against the University of Mary on Sunday.