MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Winona State University softball team wrapped up its final nonconference road trip of the 2022 season, earning a split at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Classic in Maryville, Mo.
Winona State beat Missouri Southern 7-1 behind a complete game pitching performance by
Liz Pautz and a solid offensive showing led by by
Libby Neveau. In their second and final game of the day, the Warriors took on host Northwest Missouri State, falling to the Bearcats, 8-7 in eight innings.
Winona State vs. Missouri Southern
After being shutout by the Lions on Saturday, Winona State turned the tables on MSSU on Sunday, racking up 11 hits and scoring seven runs.
Liz Pautz earned the win in the circle, going the full seven innings, scattering six hits along the way. Pautz notched eight strikeouts, did not walk a batter and conceded just one run.
At the plate, Winona State was led by
Libby Neveau who earned the first and last RBIs of the game for the Warriors. Neveau singled home
Sam Keller in the first inning to open the scoring and hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to stretch the Warriors lead to 7-1. The Warrior sixth frame was an offensive show, with
Abbie Hlas picking up two RBI on a bases-loaded single and
Marissa Mullen scoring Keller as well.
Overall,
Sam Keller was 3-for-4 and a walk in the leadoff spot, with
Abbie Hlas going 2-for-4 and notching a pair of RBI. Neveau had three RBI on the strength of her 2-for-3 day at the plate. As a team, Winona State scored seven runs on 11 hits and did not commit an error. Missouri Southern had one run on six hits and committed two miscues.
Winona State vs. Northwest Missouri State
After drubbing the Bearcats 24-3 earlier in the weekend, WSU found their second matchup with Northwest Missouri State a much closer affair.
Winona State opened in similar fashion to their contest on Saturday, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. A
Sam Keller single and
Abbie Hlas home run jump started the inning for WSU, and when
Teaghen Amwoza hit another homer - this time with
Libby Neveau aboard - the Warriors were up 4-0.
However, Warrior bats cooled after that, with scoreless innings for WSU in the second, third and fourth frames. In contrast, the Bearcats bumped starting pitcher
Abbie Hlas from the game after three innings, and with a 5-4 home side advantage.
Abby Smith took over the pitching circle at that point but held Northwest Missouri State to one run over the next two innings. At the same time, WSU got back on track offensively, scoring one run in the fifth inning and two in the sixth, holding a narrow 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Unfortunately for WSU, home side heroics were the order of the day. Northwestern Missouri State was down to their last out in the seventh when the Bearcats Lauren Gray hit a solo shot over the fence in left center, tying the game at 7-7 and sending the contest into extra innings.
In the eighth, Winona State advanced
Corinna Loshek to third on a
Kayla Kerkman single with just one out but were unable to plate the run. In the bottom of the inning, back-to-back doubles scored the Bearcats' Skylar Pieper for the walk off win.
Winona State used three pitchers in the game, with
Abbie Hlas starting and throwing the first three innings.
Abby Smith threw the next two full frames, striking out three and conceding four hits.
Liz Pautz threw the final two and 2/3's innings, notching six strikeouts and giving up two runs.
At the plate, Hlas was 2-for-3 with two RBI, while
Carly Engelhardt was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Hlas,
Rylee Stout,
Teaghen Amwoza and Engelhardt all had home runs in the game. WSU had seven runs, 11 hits and no errors while the hosts scored eight times on 13 hits and committed two errors.
Winona State 14-8, 0-0 NSIC) is now off until Tuesday, March 29 when they host Upper Iowa University at Alumni Field in Winona, Minn. Game times are set for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the NSIC doubleheader.
