TOPEKA, Kan. – Minnesota State softball (8-2) won both of its games against Southwest Baptist (5-7) and Missouri Western State (3-4) on Saturday. The Mavericks hit its first four home runs of the 2024 season in first innings against the Bearcats and ended up winning 17-8.
McKayla Armbruster struck out nine batters against the Griffons in a 4-2 win for MSU.
Game 1 vs Southwest Baptist: Minnesota State 17, Southwest Baptist 8
W: Brandt (2-0) L: Leithead (1-3)
The Bearcats struck early, scoring two runs on a fielder's choice and a groundout, putting Southwest Baptist up 2-0 after one half inning.
Kylie Sullivan hit a leadoff home run to center to start the bottom of the first for Minnesota State. After
Ellie Tallman singled,
Gianna Lara launched another home run, taking the lead 3-2.
Cheyenne Behrends hit a single and
Ella Schulz reached on an error.
Freshman
Rhyan Fritz crushed her first career homer over the left field fence
, driving in three, putting the Mavericks up 6-2. Sullivan came back up to bat for a second time in the inning and she hit
another home run to centerfield. When the inning ended, Minnesota State led 8-2.
The Mavericks added another run to their total in the bottom of the second, with Schulz driving in Kessler after she reached on a fielder's choice to put MSU up 9-2.
Southwest Baptist punched back in the top of the third. A leadoff double and an error put runners on second and third with no outs.
Emma Vincent knocked both runners home with a two RBI single. The Bearcats would then load the bases. Minnesota State prevented one run from scoring, throwing the runner out at home on a fielder's choice. SBU would hit two consecutive two-run doubles to cut the Maverick lead to just one. Minnesota State got out of the top half of the inning with a slim 9-8 lead.
An error and a fielder's choice would put two runners on with no outs in the bottom half of the third. Sullivan reached on an error that scored the runner from third. Tallman then hit a triple to right, driving in two runs and giving Minnesota State a four-run lead. After her triple, Tallman scored on a groundout to shortstop. After three innings of play, the score was 13-8.
Sullivan would drive in two more runs, singling to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Mavericks up 15-8.
Fritz ended the game on a left field double that drove in two runs to give the Mavericks a 17-8 win in five innings.
The Mavericks had 14 total hits against the Bearcats. Sullivan and Fritz both drove in five runs against SBU. Sullivan went 3-4 with those two first-inning home runs. Fritz went 2-4 at the plate. Lara went 3-4 and drove in three runs. Tallman had two RBIs. The Mavericks had six players score multiple runs.
Chloe Brandt earned the win against SBU. She allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings of relief.
Game 2 vs Missouri Western: Minnesota State 4, Missouri Western 2
W: Armbruster (4-1) L: Rader (2-1)
The Griffons struck first, scoring on an RBI double after a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt.
In the top of the second,
Izzy Hycnar hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.
Marina Carter singled up the middle, which put runners on first and third with one out. Sullivan reached on an error that scored Hycnar, tying the game at 1-1.
There would be no more scoring until the top of the fifth. Tallman would reach on a single, then Lara hit her second home run of the day to right center field, putting the Mavericks up 3-1.
Schullz added one more to the Minnesota State lead with a solo homer to left center, extending that lead to 4-1.
Missouri Western would push back, hitting a solo home run of its own to bring the score to 4-2. But it was too little, too late for the Griffons; Armbruster retired the following four batters to clinch the win for MSU.
Lara's home run in the fifth would be the key play in the game against Missouri Western. She went 1-3, homering and reaching on a walk. Both Tallman and Behrends went 2-4 against the Griffons.
Armbruster had an excellent outing Saturday, allowing just three hits and two earned runs while striking out nine batters and walking just one. The Mavericks' ace now has a 1.27 ERA and a .67 WHIP on the season.
"It was great to pick up two wins today," said Minnesota State head coach
Lori Meyer. "The offense carried us in the first game with four homers in the first inning. In the second game, the long ball again played a large role, accounting for three of our four runs. When you put all three phases of the game together, it gives you the chance to win against a quality opponent."
The Mavericks have won more day left of the Washburn Invite, taking on Central Missouri (5-4) and Pittsburg State (12-2) on Sunday. MSU plays the Jennies at 12:00 p.m. and the Gorillas at 4:00 p.m.
