CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Winona State University softball team saw the 2022 season come to a close, competing in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament, the 15th appearance in the NCAA postseason for the program. 

After dispatching Washburn University 6-1 earlier in the day, Winona State faced top-seed and host Rogers State University, falling 10-3 in an elimination game. 

Winona State started strongly in the contest against the Hillcats, as leadoff batter Sam Keller homered in her first at-bat to open the game and provide WSU a 1-0 lead.

The Warriors would add two more runs in the second on another leadoff homer, this time by Libby Neveau. After two outs, WSU rallied to record another run when Kayla Kerkman singled and then advanced on a Sam Keller single. Kerkman, a senior from Burlington, Wis. scored moments later on a passed ball to move the Winona State advantage to 3-0. 

Unfortunately, the tide turned to the Hillcats favor in the middle innings of the game, with the home side scoring once in the third and added three more runs in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.  Then, in the fifth inning, RSU reeled off a one-out home run, followed by a double, chasing WSU starter Liz Pautz from the contest. A combination of walks and an error in the Warrior infield saw the hosts score a pair of runs. A wild pitch that allowed a Hillcat to score and a two-run home run followed, resulting in a 10-3 scoreline. 

Over the final two innings, Winona State was unable to solve Hillcat pitcher M'Kayla Hillman who had come on in relief for starter Andrea Morales, with the exception of an Abbie Hlas single in the top of the seventh.  For Hlas, the base hit was her second of the contest, joining Keller as having two hits in the game. 

In the circle for Winona State, starter Liz Pautz went four and 1/3 innings, allowing six runs - four of which were earned - while striking out five. Abby Smith came on in relief, going one and 2/3, with four runs against and one strikeout. Rogers State scored ten runs on six hits while drawing seven walks in the game. 

As a team, Winona State scored three runs on six hits and committed two errors. With the loss, Winona State concludes the season at 40-17 overall, having played their way to the NSIC Championship game after a third-place regular-season finish in the NSIC.