MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team kept things rolling at the Maverick All-Sports Dome Friday afternoon as MSU bested St. Cloud State by the scores of 7-2 and 5-4.
With the win, MSU improves to 17-11, including a 6-4 NSIC record. With the losses, SCSU drops to 19-14, including a 4-4 conference record.
Game 1 Recap
Minnesota State began the day with a 7-2 win in game one.
Junior
McKayla Armbruster (10-6) picked up the win as she allowed two runs, whiles striking out nine in the complete game. Trinity Junker (10-5) took the loss as she allowed five runs in three innings.
Freshman
Gianna Lara got the scoring going in the bottom of the second as she blasted a two-run home run to right center to put the Mavericks up 2-0. In the bottom of the third, the Mavericks added three more to go up 5-0 as junior
Syndey Nielsen recorded a three-run home run to left field.
SCSU managed to get a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to cut MSU's lead to 5-2, but the Mavericks would answer right back in the bottom of the fourth as a two-run single from junior
Ellie Tallman put MSU back up by five at 7-2.
Armbruster would allow just two hits in the final three innings as the Mavericks locked down the 7-2 win.
Tallman, Nielsen and Lara each recorded a pair of hits in game one.
Game 2 Recap
Minnesota State finished the day with a 5-4 win in game two.
Junior
Kacy Nickerson (2-2) earned the win in relief as she allowed two runs in five innings. Justyce Porter (3-4) took the loss as she gave up two runs in relief. Armbruster notched her third save of the season as she allowed one hit in 1.1 innings.
SCSU got a pair of runs in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly from Raven Vanden Langenberg to go up 2-1. MSU was able to get a run back in the bottom of the first as a sacrifice fly from freshman
Ava Smithson drove in junior
Kylie Sullivan.
The Huskies would add another run in the fourth to go up 3-1, but the Mavericks would put together a four-run fifth inning to go up 5-3. An RBI-single from Sullivan, a two-run error on the Huskies and a solo home run from Smithson drove in the four Maverick runs.
The Huskies managed to close the gap to 5-4 after an RBI-single from Holly Weinberger in the top of the sixth, but Armbruster would get the final out in the sixth, before setting down the Huskies in order in the top of the seventh to secure the 5-4 win.
Minnesota State continues its homestand on Sunday as it hosts the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m., at the Maverick All-Sports Dome.
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