Winona, Minn. - The #13 Winona State University softball team was swept at home by #20 Minnesota State-Mankato on Tuesday, as the Warriors fall in back-to-back games at home for the first time since 2018.
Winona State rallied late but fell in game one 3-1, and the Mavericks ran away with game two, 11-2 in five innings.
Game One
Jordyn Kleman, one win away from matching the all-time victory mark at Winona State, was one half of a great pitchers dual in the opener, but the Mavericks were able to pull out a 3-1 win in the front half of the twin bill.
Kleman went the full seven innings against the Mavericks, giving up eight hits while striking out four. She conceded just one walk on the day, but a two-run Maverick home run hit by Madi Neuman in the second inning spotted Minnesota State an early two-run advantage. Kleman respond to the round tripper by striking out the next two batters she faced, but her counterpart, Mackenzie Ward, struck out the Warrior side in the bottom half the of inning.
Overall, Ward was on top of her game for the Mavericks, allowing just four Warrior hits while striking out an impressive 13 batters. Kleman conceded just one more run for Minnesota State in the third inning on a single to left field, but Winona State struggled at the plate to produce baserunners or runs throughout most of the contest.
A rally in the bottom of the seventh sparked hope in the Warrior crowd. An
Ann Smolenski single, followed by a Teahgan Amwoza walk, lead to an improved outlook for WSU in the late stages of the game.
Abbie Hlas then collected an infield single to load the bases and Carley Kordich hit a long sacrifice fly to score pinch-runner Kalya Kerman from third. However, Ward buckled down, striking out
Katie Kolb and
Rylee Stout to end the WSU uprising and take the opening-game win, 3-1.
Winona State saw
Katie Kolb,
Sam Keller,
Ann Smolenski and
Abbie Hlas collect hits for the Warriors, all singles.
Sam Keller earned a stolen base in the fifth inning.
Katie Kolb walked in the bottom of the fourth inning, and with the free pass, became the all-time walks leader at Winona State with 127 in her career, passing Sarah Carlson, who played at Winona State between 2003-2006.
Game Two
Minnesota State came out swinging in game two, scoring two runs in the opening stanza and hitting a three-run home run in the second inning to race out to a 5-0 lead early. McKayla Armbruster brought a standout pitching performance to the Mavericks in game two, going the distance in a game that ended after five innings and was won by Minnesota State, 11-2.
Winona State starting pitcher
Liz Pautz gave way to
Abbie Hlas in the second inning and Hlas pitched until midway through the fourth, when she was relieved by
Emilee Erickson.
The Mavericks scored in every inning against the Warriors, including an explosive fourth inning that saw four singles and two walks result in a three-run frame, effectively putting the game out of reach of Winona State.
WSU got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs after a
Libby Neveau single and
Abbie Hlas double plated a pair of Warriors. However, the gap was too large to close in the seventh, and Armbruster struck out freshman
Sam Keller to give the Mavericks a rare home field sweep of Winona State.
Winona State falls to 16-4 overall, 5-3 in NSIC play, while MSU-Mankato moves to 14-4 overall, 4-2 in the NSIC.
The Warriors will return to action on Saturday, April 10 when they travel to the University of Sioux Falls for a 1pm/3pm NSIC doubleheader.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
