JAN PHYL VILLAGE, Fla. --- The Minnesota State softball team picked up a pair of wins Wednesday as the Mavericks bested Mercyhurst 8-0 in five innings and Dominican N.Y. 7-0.

MSU now owns a 19-5 record on the season.

"It's great to get the offense going with 23 hits and 15 runs scored," head coach Lori Meyer said. "The pitching staff had two shutouts and shutouts are hard to get and when you have errorless defense it's a recipe for success. It's a great day to be a Maverick."
 
Game 1 Recap

Minnesota State began the day with an 8-0 win in five innings over Mercyhurst.

Senior McKayla Armbruster (8-3) earned the win as she allowed just four hits in four innings, while striking out four. Junior Brianne Stone set down all three batters she faced in relief as well. Bailey Cannon (1-2) took the loss as she gave up two runs, one earned, in two innings.

The Mavericks struck right away in the top of the first as junior Marina Carter singled and stole second. Then with one out, sophomore Gianna Lara drove in Carter with a single up the middle to put MSU up 1-0.

MSU added another run in the top of the second to increase its lead to 2-0. With two outs and freshman Courtney Kessler on first, a single by Carter followed by a fielding error by the Lakers, allowed Kessler to come all the way around to score.

The top of the fifth saw the Mavericks notch six runs on six hits and two Mercyhurst errors to go up 8-0. Senior Ellie Tallman notched a solo home run to right center, before senior Kylie Sullivan notched a two-run home run to left center. An RBI-double from freshman Rhyan Fritz put MSU up 6-0, before a pair of errors by the Lakers allowed Fritz and junior Ella Schulz to come around to score putting the Mavericks up 8-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, Stone would set the Lakers down in order as the MSU claimed the 8-0 win.

Lara finished with three hits, while Carter, senior Courtney Baxter and Fritz each posted two.

 
Game 2 Recap

Minnesota State finished the day with a 7-0 win over Dominican N.Y.

Freshman Maddie Oetzmann (9-1) picked up the win as she threw five no-hit innings while striking out four. Freshman Chloe Brandt allowed just one hit in two innings of relief as she forced five ground ball outs. Emily Baxter (1-6) took the loss as she allowed seven runs, six earned, in six innings.

MSU got in the board in the bottom of the second as Sullivan led off the inning with a single, before moving up to third on a single from Baxter. Sullivan then scored via a passed ball to put MSU up 1-0. Sullivan would strike again in the bottom of the fourth as she singled to right field and stole second. Baxter then drove in Sullivan with a single to right field to give MSU a 2-0 lead.

The fifth inning would she the Mavericks add another run as Kessler led off the inning with a double, before Oetzmann drove her in with a single to put MSU up 3-0.

The bottom of the sixth saw the Mavericks put the game out of reach as they scored four runs to increase their lead to 7-0. Baxter drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI-single, before Fritz notched a two-run home run to center field. Freshman Maddie Helin drove in the final run of the inning with a single as well.

The Chargers recorded their only hit in the top of the seventh, but Brandt stranded the runner at first as the Mavericks secured the 7-0 shutout.

Baxter finished the game with three hits and two RBI, while Sullivan scored three runs.

Minnesota State wraps up its Florida trip on Thursday as it takes on Concord at 9:00 a.m. (CST) and California, Pa. at 11:15 a.m. (CST) in Winterhaven, Fla.