ST. PAUL, Minn. – Winona State University freshman Rylee Stout homered in each game of a doubleheader sweep Wednesday afternoon at Concordia University-St. Paul. The Warriors connected on five round-trippers while out-hitting the Golden Bears, 30-10, to open the final week of the regular season.
Winona State ran away with the opener late, 13-3, and exploded for a 12-run third inning en route to a 12-1 victory in the five-inning finale.
Winners of seven straight, the Warriors improve to 37-5 (16-2 NSIC) and maintain their first-place conference lead entering the final weekend of the regular season.
Stout and McKenna Larsen each homered and drove in four runs for WSU in game one. Larsen's solo homer broke the scoring seal in the top of the second inning and Stout's two-run blast padded the Warrior lead to 7-3 while sparking Winona's eight-run seventh inning.
One batter after Stout went deep, Jamee Schleis belted her first long ball of the season. Katelyn Kolb kept the frame alive with a two-out single ahead of a hit-by-pitch to Mariah Schultz and a walk by Lani Van Zyl. Carly Kordich followed with a bases-loaded walk to make it a 9-3 ballgame. Larsen cleared the bases with a three-run double and Stout added an RBI-double of her own before the inning came to an end with the Warriors leading by 10.
In the circle, Jordyn Kleman improved to 16-1 with her 14th complete game of the year. The sophomore allowed three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out six batters. Kleman's three earned runs were her most allowed in over a month as CSP cut its deficit to 5-3 in the sixth inning ahead of Winona's offensive outburst in the finale frame.
Larsen (13-4) scattered just four Golden Bear hits in game two while matching her season high for the third time with six punchouts. Concordia spoiled Larsen's shutout bid with a two-out run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Winona State sent 12 batters to the plate in the top of the third and scored all 12 of its runs in the ballgame on nine hits.
Singles by Schultz and Van Zyl coupled with a walk by Alison Nowak loaded the bases to begin the third inning. A bases-loaded walk by Stout plated the first Warrior run ahead of five straight run-scoring hits. Jen Giesey, Schleis, Samantha McLean, Kolb and Schultz each consecutively drove in runs. With two out, Larsen notched an RBI-single and Stout capped the huge inning with her team-leading 11th home run – a three-run shot to center field.
Stout combined to go 5-for-7 with seven RBI and four runs scored in the doubleheader. Schultz went 4-for-7 with four RBI and four runs.
The Warriors conclude the regular season with four games at Maynard R. Johnson Field in Winona this weekend. Winona State hosts Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday and Northern State on Sunday. Both doubleheaders are slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
