WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University softball team claimed a pair of key victories on Thursday, beating Upper Iowa University twice in a NSIC doubleheader, including a come-from-behind win in game two.

Liz Pautz passed the 750 strikeout mark for her career, out-dueling UIU's Sydney Wilcox in a 2-0 WSU win in game one, and then came on in relief in game two to earn a 6-5 victory to complete the sweep. 

Game One 

Pautz and Wilcox combined for a pitcher's duel in the opener, with only two swings of the bat separating the two teams in a game that saw just seven base hits combined for the Warriors and the Peacocks.

Rylee Stout hit a solo home run in the first frame, driving the ball over the fence in left field with two outs to notch the first score of the game. Winona State was held scoreless after Stout's homer for the next three innings, with WSU reaching base only on an error and a walk.  UIU turned a double play to negate a Warrior threat in the fourth after pinch-runner Corinna Loshek advanced to second on a Marissa Mullen sacrifice bunt. 

For Winona State, starting pitcher Liz Pautz held Upper Iowa in check, as the Peacocks managed just two singles across the first five innings.  Also over that time, Pautz punched out the 750th strikeout of her standout career, when UIU's Ari Charles struck out looking in the third. The milestone 'K' was one of 13 strikeouts in the game earned by the senior from Pulaski, Wis. who currently leads NCAA Division II softball in strikeouts per seven innings. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Winona State doubled their lead to 2-0 when Teaghen Amwoza drew a leadoff walk and had Warrior teammate Brianna Luciano pinch run for her. The move paid off for head coach Greg Jones when Luciano scored on an Ann Smolenski double down the right-field line, with Luciano just beating the throw to the plate from the Peacock outfielder for the score. 

WSU threatened again in the bottom of the sixth when Abbie Hlas singled to start the inning and Marissa Mullen added a base hit with one out. However, the rally did not materialize as the strong breeze blowing in on the day kept a long fly ball to left-center from Amwoza just inside the outfield for the third out of the frame. 

In the end, the two runs were all the Warriors needed, as Pautz held Upper Iowa to two hits - both by Kaylee Frenette - and one walk.  The complete game shutout was the sixth of the season for Pautz and her 22nd complete game of 2022. 

Game Two

In the nightcap, Winona State struck first with a pair of runs, but in contrast to game one, the Peacocks responded with a three-run second frame to take an early lead. 

WSU's first-inning scores came courtesy of an Abbie Hlas triple, scoring Sam Keller who has singled up the middle to start the game. Hlas' hit was just the fourth triple on the season for the team and her first triple of the year. Heads up base running allowed Hlas to score moments later on a wild pitch. 

Upper Iowa parlayed an error and a pair of walks in the second inning into a three-run outburst, as three consecutive singles resulted in three runs scored.  WSU limited the damage on an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded when Warrior third basemen Marissa Mullen made a strong play on a hard-hit ball down the line, stepped on third for the force out, and completed the double play on the long throw to first. 

Winona State clawed back into the game and retook the lead with a three-run third inning, as Sam Keller sparked the Warriors with a leadoff single and then stole second. Ann Smolenski doubled to score Keller and Marissa Mullen who had earned a walk moments earlier. Smolenski then scored herself on the second Peacock wild pitch of the contest. 

Upper Iowa responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, tying the game after a walk on a double and an error in the Warrior infield. With a runner on second representing the go-ahead run, Winona State starter Abby Smith struck out Samantha Jessie to close out the top half of the inning. 

WSU was unable to score in the bottom half of the fifth and Liz Pautz took the circle in relief of Smith heading into the sixth. Pautz retired the UIU side in order to close out the frame.

In the Warrior half of the sixth, Marissa Mullen doubled to left-center to start the inning and gave way to Briana Luciano as a pinch-runner. Luciana scored what would prove to be the game-winning run when she scored on a hard-hit ball that the Peacock shortstop failed to field cleanly, moving the scoreboard to 6-5 in favor of the home side. 

Pautz held Upper Iowa in the seventh inning as well, first forcing Amelia Fitzgerald into a groundout to short, and then striking out the final two Upper Iowa batters for the win. 

Winona State was led at the plate by Sam Keller who was 2-for-3 in the leadoff spot, scoring two runs, while Mullen, Smolenski, and Hlas all had extra-base hits, including the triple by Hlas, the fourth of her career. Keller and Corinna Loshek both notched a stolen base in the game, while Smolenski led the team in RBI with two. 

Pautz (22-5) earned the win in relief, striking out three, walking none, and facing the minimum number of batters over two innings. Starter Abby Smith scattered seven hits over five innings of work. 

With the 2-0 and 6-5 victories, Winona State moves to 33-13 overall and 19-5 in NSIC action. Next up for the Warriors is their final regular-season road trip of 2022, as Winona State is scheduled to face Northern State University in Aberdeen on Saturday, April 30, and Minnesota State - Moorhead on Sunday, May 1.  Both NSIC doubleheaders are set for contests at noon and 2 p.m., respectively.