MANKATO, Minn. – The Winona State University softball team traveled west to take on No. 18 Minnesota State on Tuesday, April 26, playing in the MSU Maverick All-Sport dome due to cold temperatures.
The Tuesday twin bill featured two of the top teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, as the Warriors stood second and Mavericks third in the NSIC standings heading into the games. When the dust settled, however, Winona State and Minnesota State switched spots in the league ranks, as the Mavericks dealt WSU a pair of setbacks, winning game one 1-0 and taking the back half of the doubleheader, 4-3.
Game One
The opening game featured two of the top pitchers in NCAA Division II softball, as Winona State's
Liz Pautz and MSU's Mackenzie Ward took the circle for their respective teams.
A true pitcher's duel, Pautz struck out 12 Mavericks in the game while Ward retired 14 Warriors via the same route.
Winona State collected two hits, a
Kayla Kerkman single in the third inning and an
Abbie Hlas double in the seventh frame.
The Hlas double was timely and offered the chance to tie the game in the late stages. After the extra base hit, Corrina Loshek pinch ran for Hlas and reached third base with just one out, but WSU was unable to convert the opportunity.
Pautz struck out the Maverick side in the first and fifth innings, collecting 12 strikeouts overall in the game. The 12 K's was the second-highest total achieved against Minnesota State this season, and marked the 16
th double-digit strikeout total for Pautz so far in 2022.
Although Minnesota State was held to just one run for only the third time this year, the Mavericks lone tally in the bottom of the fourth proved to be just enough to separate the two teams. For MSU, a Madi Newman single and subsequent stolen base, resulted in the game's only score when Kylie Sullivan tripled to bring her home.
Neither pitcher allowed a walk in the game and both teams were flawless in the field. The 1-0 final scoreline represented just the second shutout suffered by Winona State this season.
Game Two
The theme of stellar pitching continued deep into game two, as Winona State's
Abby Smith and MSU's McKayla Armburster squared off in the circle.
After giving up one run in the first frame, Smith held MSU scoreless through the next three innings. Winona State tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third, when
Sam Keller singled and advanced to third on an error in the Maverick outfield. Moments later,
Abbie Hlas earned an RBI on a sacrifice fly, scoring Keller for the first Warrior run of the game.
Minnesota State responded in the fifth inning when back-to-back extra base hits added to the Maverick scoreline. With a MSU baserunner already aboard from a one-out walk, a Madi Newman double, followed by a Cheyenne Behrends triple plated two runs for the home side. A combination of walks and a batter hit by a pitch moved the MSU total to four runs in the fifth inning.
Down 4-1 heading into the sixth inning, Winona State fought back.
Sam Keller led the Warrior response, singling up the middle and then advanced to second when
Abbie Hlas followed suit with a base hit of her own. The pair of back-to-back singles chased Armbruster from the game, as the Mavericks turned to relief pitcher Katie Braken.
A
Rylee Stout ground ball advanced Keller to third and put runners on the corners.
Corinna Loshek - running for Stout - stole second base and then followed Keller into home when
Carly Engelhardt doubled to left center. In the inning, Winona State scored two runs on three hits, but left a Warrior on base that would prove costly.
Minnesota State threatened to add to their 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but a pair of fly ball outs and a Maverick caught stealing by
Cammi Riemer ended the inning without any further damage.
In the top of the seventh inning, down one run, Winona State found itself facing game one starter Mackenzie Ward, who replaced Bracken. Ward retired
Libby Neveau and
Marissa Mullen on strikeouts and a hard-hit line drive by
Kayla Kerkman was corralled at third base for the final out of the game.
For Winona State, the Warriors scored three runs on six hits and committed two errors. MSU scored four times on six hits and had one error.
Abby Smith went the distance in the game and took the loss, falling to 4-2 on the year. Smith struck out three, walked four and conceded four runs, all earned. The Maverick trio of Armburster, Bracken and Ward gave up three runs on six hits. Armbruster received the win and Ward the save in the contest.
Winona State (31-12, 17-4 NSIC) will look to rebound on Thursday when they host Upper Iowa University in a NSIC doubleheader. The Peacocks and Warriors will start game one at 2 p.m. at Maynard R. Johnson Field in Winona, Minn.
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.
