MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team picked up a pair of wins Wednesday at the Maverick All-Sports Dome as MSU bested Southwest Minnesota State by the scores of 5-0 and 11-3 (5 innings).

With the wins, MSU improves to 15-11, including a 4-4 NSIC record. With the losses, SMSU drops to 6-19, including a 1-5 conference record.

Game 1 Recap

The Mavericks began the day with a 5-0 win over the Mustangs in game one.

Junior McKayla Armbruster (9-6) earned the win as she threw a two-hit shutout, while striking out eight batters. Morgyn Otte (1-7) was saddled with the loss as she gave up four runs in 2.2 innings. Allison Christians gave up one run in 3.1 innings for the Mustangs as well.

The Mavericks jumped out in front 3-0 in the bottom of the first. Junior Kylie Sullivan drew a walk to open the inning, before freshman Ava Smithson blasted a two-run home run to left field to put the Mavericks up 2-0. With one out, junior Madi Newman reached base via a fielder's choice and stole second. Newman was then driven in with an RBI-double from sophomore Cheyenne Behrends to put MSU up 3-0 before the Mustangs could get out of the inning.

Behrends would notch another RBI-double in the third as she drove in Newman with a hit to left field to put the Mavericks up 4-0. Smithson notched the Mavericks' fifth run of the game as she led off the inning with a solo home run to center field.

Armbruster would strand a total of three Mustangs on base in the final two innings as she completed the 5-0 shutout.

Smithson notched two home runs and three RBI, while Behrends drove in two runs with a pair of doubles. Newman and Smithson each recorded two runs scored as well.

Game 2 Recap

Minnesota State finished the day with an 11-3 win in five innings in game two.

Junior Kacy Nickerson (1-2) earned the win as she allowed three runs in 3.1 innings. Karlie Miller (2-6) took the loss as she gave up 10 runs, nine earned, in four innings of work.
SMSU got the first run of the game in the first as an RBI-single from Molly Bull put the Mustangs up 1-0.

The Mavericks then responded with a five-run second inning to go up 5-1. Newman and Behrends led off the inning with back-to-back solo home runs, before Sullivan drove in two with an RBI-single. Smithson then drove in Sullivan with a double to put MSU up 5-1.

A solo home run from SMSU's Abby Russell in the third and an RBI-single from Shelby Bloemendaal in fourth cut MSU's lead to two at 5-3.

The Mavericks then responded with a five-run bottom of the fourth to go up by seven at 10-3. Senior Sydney Nielsen and sophomore Emma Dennison each drove in a run with a single, while Behrends drove in two more with a double. Junior Ellie Tallman also stole home on a Maverick double steal.

The 10-3 score held into the bottom of the fifth. Tallman singled with one out, and eventually moved up to third after a walk to Smithson and a wild pitch. The Mustangs managed to get the second out but a single to center field from Newman would bring in Tallman to secure the 11-3 win for the Mavericks.

Newman notched four hits in game two, while Sullivan recorded three. Behrends drove in three of MSU's 11 runs also.

Minnesota State continues its season on Friday as it hosts St. Cloud State in a doubleheader at the Maverick All-Sports Dome. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.