FAYETTE, Iowa - The Winona State University softball team opened NSIC play on the road Tuesday, March 28, taking on Upper Iowa University. The Warriors completed their business trip to Fayette in comfortable fashion, beating UIU by 17-7 and 6-2 scorelines.
With the sweep, Winona State extended their winning streak over the Peacocks to 12 straight victories over UIU and now own a 26-4 overall mark in the series since April 18, 2009.
Winona State 17, Upper Iowa 7
Winona State scored seven runs in the first two innings of game one, racing out to a large lead early on. WSU would go to tack on ten more runs in the final three frames to put away the Peacocks, winning in six innings.
Marissa Mullen and
Carly Engelhardt combined for a monster game at the plate, with Mullen going 3-for-3 and Englelhardt 5-for-5. Combined, the two Warriors accounted for 12 RBI against UIU; Mullen collected two home runs and
Libby Neveau added one homer. As a team, WSU had eight extra-base hits, led by Engelhardt with three doubles. The 18 base hits in the game accounted for a season high as a team, easily eclipsing the 11-hit mark set on Feb. 18 against Emporia State.
In the circle,
Abbie Hlas went the first five innings to claim the win. Hlas struck out four, walked two, and allowed seven runs, five of which were earned. Hlas helped her cause at the plate, going 3-for-5 at the plate and scoring three runs.
Skyler Calmes took over for the sixth inning, holding Upper Iowa hitless with a strikeout among her four batters faced.
Winona State 6, Upper Iowa 2
Upper Iowa scored first in game two of the UIU - WSU doubleheader but Winona State bounced back to pull away from the Peacocks in a 6-2 Warrior win.
WSU responded to the UIU first-inning score with two runs of their own in the second inning and went on to score once in the fourth inning and three times in the sixth as Winona State received a complete game pitching performance from
Abby Smith.
Smith struck out eight while walking just one batter and holding the home side to two runs, both earned. With the victory, Smith moved to 10-2 on the year, and accounted for her eighth complete game of the season.
Offensively, WSU was led by
Marissa Mullen, going 2-for-3 with a double.
Macy Brodin and
Ashlee Chantos added doubles to the Warrior effort, while
Savannah Serdynski earned a stolen base in the contest. Winona State drew six walks as a team, including three by
Carly Engelhardt.
WSU (19-8 overall, 2-0 NSIC) is set to travel to the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday, April 1 for a doubleheader beginning at 1pm.
