TOPEKA, Kan. – After a slow start in game one of the Washburn Invite, Minnesota State (3-3) got hot in the team's second game on Sunday.
 
The Mavericks first fell 1-0 to Pittsburg State (8-3) as the Gorilla's ace Ava Laurent no-hit MSU with 11 strikeouts. In game two, the MSU bats got rolling, as the Mavericks mercy-ruled Emporia State (7-6) with an 11-3 victory. Junior first baseman Gianna Lara had three hits, a two-run home run and four RBI in the win.
 
Game 1 vs Pittsburg State – L, PSU 1, MSU 0
W: Ava Laurent (4-2)    L: Maddie Oetzmann (1-1)
The Mavericks started three-up-three-down and the Gorillas led off with an infield single. Three pitches later, PSU lined into a double play, which negated the base hit. Pittsburg State had a pair of hits in the bottom of the second, but Lara threw the runner out at the plate which ended the inning and prevented a score.
 
Laurent was perfect through three innings. She mowed down six of the nine Maverick batters.
 
Heather Arnett reached on her second infield single of the game, stole second base, and advanced to third on a groundout to put a runner on third with two outs in the bottom of three. Kadyn Trochim hit an RBI double to right center which gave Pittsburg State a 1-0 lead.
 
After two more Ks pitched by Laurent, Lara drew a walk to be the first MSU baserunner and then Maddie Oetzmann also walked to put two runners on, but the Gorilla's ace struck out the next batter to retire the side.
 
Amaya Snyder led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple, then a throwing error put a runner on first and third with nobody out. The Maverick defense held the Gorillas scoreless after a ground out that held the runner at third, a pop-out to Oetzmann in the circle and a strikeout to end the inning.
 
Kurstyn Patnode and Ella Schulz drew two-out walks to put runners on first and second in the top of the seventh, but Laurent struck out her 11^th batter to secure the no-hitter as Pitt State won 1-0.
 
Oetzmann pitched six innings of one-run softball. She allowed seven hits and struck out one batter. Minnesota State's four baserunners all drew walks.
 
Laurent won her fourth game of the season. Her 11 Ks were the most she's had in a game this season and the third-most she's pitched. Arnett had three hits in the game and scored the lone run off Trochim's RBI double.
 
 
Game 2 vs Emporia State – W, MSU 11, ESU 3 (5 innings)
W: Sophia Del Vecchio (2-0)   L: Gracie Rabe (3-5)
 
Minnesota State immediately got the bats rolling as freshman Ryanne Mellum hit an RBI single through the left side that scored Cheyenne Behrends from third to put the team up 1-0. In the top of the second, however, Emporia State scored two runs to take a one-run lead.
 
The Mavericks responded swiftly, as after Izzy Hycnar reached on a single in the bottom of the second, freshman Finley Anderson got her first hit, a two-run homer over the fence in left to put Minnesota State back on top, 3-2.
 
Following a couple of groundouts, Behrends singled to center field to put a runner on with two outs. With a swing of the bat, Lara gave Minnesota State a 5-2 lead with her third home run of 2025 and the 15^th of her Maverick career.
 
The Mavericks held the Hornets scoreless in the top of the third, then got to work on offense. Another freshman, Carly Kimmes, hit her second career double, then Hycnar walked. Senior centerfielder Marina Carter slapped a two-out RBI single up the middle that scored Kimmes and put MSU up by four. A walk loaded the bases, then an error by the ESU shortstop allowed Hycnar and Carter to score from second and third. Lara knocked in the runner from third with a single to center, which put the Mavericks up 9-2 through three.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Hornets put another on the board in the top of the fifth. Two walks and single loaded the bases, then Emporia State scored its run on a sacrifice fly to right field to make it a 9-3 ball game.
 
Carter drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Maddie Helin was hit by a pitch to get another runner on, then Lara hit another RBI single to center to score Carter. After a pitching change, Oetzmann singled to center to score Helin, which effectively ended the game as the Mavericks won 11-3 in five innings.
 
MSU totally turned it around offensively. Lara was outstanding with three hits, a home run and four total RBI. Oetzmann and Hycnar each had multi-hit games. For Oetzmann, it was her first multi-hit game and she drove in her first RBI of the season. Anderson was clutch with her two-run shot that put the Mavericks back on top, and Mellum and Carter each had RBI hits. Kimmes also hit a double.
 
Both Sailor Hall and Sophia Del Vecchio pitched 2.1 innings. Hall had two strikeouts.
 
"In game one," explained Minnesota State head coach Lori Meyer, "we faced the best pitcher we have seen early this season. I like the fight we had in that game with drawing two walks in the seventh. Our defense and Oetzmann got us out of some tough situations."
 
"The key to game two was staying within our hitting game plan physically and mentally," she stated. "Mellum and Anderson got us going. Del Vecchio gave us 2.1 solid innings of relief and Hall helped us get out of a bases-loaded jam with minimal damage. Lara was good on offense also, as she continues to see the ball well."
 
The Mavericks are back tomorrow at the Washburn Invite. The team will take on Central Oklahoma (10-2) and Central Missouri (5-2) at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.