SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- The Minnesota State softball team nearly completed the comeback Thursday afternoon, but Augustana was able to hold on to the 15-14 win in the NSIC Tournament.
With the loss, MSU ends its season with a 33-22 record. With the win, Augustana improves to 28-26. The Vikings will take on the winner of the game between Winona State and Southwest Minnesota State in the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament on Friday.
Freshman
Lucy Porter (4-3) took the loss in relief as she gave up five runs, on six hits, in two innings of work. Junior
Maddie Oetzmann got the no decision as she gave up six runs on six hits, in three innings. Jaelyn Garcia (7-10) earned the win in relief for the Vikings as she allowed six runs, on seven hits, in 3.1 innings.
The bottom of the first saw the Mavericks jump out to a 4-0 lead. Sophomore
Hannah Tong and junior
Izzy Hycnar each drove in a run with an RBI-single, before a double to left center by junior
Maddie Oetzmann drove in two more to put MSU up 4-0.
Augustana was able to cut MSU's lead to 4-3 by the top of the third as home runs Sidney Smart and Desi Cuevas scored three runs for the Vikings. MSU responded in the bottom of the third as a two-run home run from Hycnar put the Mavericks up by three at 6-3.
The fourth inning saw the Vikings put together four runs, including a two-run home run from Ella Cooper, to put AU up 7-6. RBI-singles from Tong and Hycnar in the bottom of the fourth, along with an RBI-single from freshman
Nyah Hulbert in the bottom of the fifth, would put the Mavericks back in front 9-7 after five innings.
In the top of the sixth, Augustana rallied for five runs, on five hits, to go up 12-9. Cuevas notched her second two-run home run of the game, before a double by Stella Harber drove in two more. A sacrifice fly Norah Christiansen brought in the fifth run before the Mavericks got out of the inning.
The Vikings added three more runs in the top of the seventh off a three-run home run from Teya Speltz to increase their lead to 15-9.
The Mavericks would not go quietly in the bottom of the seventh as a walk and two singles loaded the bases with nobody out. AU would get the next two batters out via strikeouts, but Tong then stepped up to the plate and blast a grand slam to left field to bring the Mavericks within two of the Vikings at 15-13.
Hycnar followed with a solo home run to right, her second home run of the day, to bring MSU within one of the Vikings at 15-14. A fly out to center field by the next batter ended the game at 15-14 in favor of the Vikings.
Both Tong and Hycnar recorded four hits each in the game, with Tong driving in six runs and Hycnar driving in five. Hycnar scored three runs as well, while Hulbert recorded two hits and two runs of her own. The last time a Maverick drove in six runs in a game came in 2019 when Amber Kral drove in six vs. Bemidji State (4/20/19).
