WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University softball team was scheduled to play Southwest Minnesota State on the road in Marshall, Minn. over the weekend, but Mother Nature had other plans, as weather and field conditions in the western part of the state caused a site-reversal scenario and saw the Warriors host the Mustangs at Maynard Johnson Field in Winona on Monday, April 3.
The change in venue and the game day seemed to work in the Warrior's favor, as Winona State rolled past Southwest Minnesota State in an NSIC sweep, beating the Mustangs by 8-1 and 10-3 scorelines.
Winona State 8, Southwest Minnesota State 1
Two first-inning home runs set the tone for the contest - and the doubleheader - in game one, as
Carly Engelhardt and
Libby Neveau both hit homers in their first at-bats of the game. Neveau's drive over the center field fence also scored
Marissa Mullen who had singled moments earlier, staking WSU to a 3-0 lead early on.
Winona State would go on to add one more run in the top of the third inning before finishing the game with four runs across the final two frames. The single WSU score in the third inning came via a
Teaghen Amwoza solo home run and Neveau added her second round-tripper of the contest as a part of the three-run final frame for the Warriors.
Southwest Minnesota State spoiled the shutout for starting pitcher
Abbie Hlas in the fifth inning, cobbling together a walk, bunt, single and sacrifice fly to center for the only Mustang run. Hlas went the distance, allowing just three hits overall in the game, striking out three and walking just two. For Hlas, the outing was the third time in 2023 the junior from Adel, Iowa has allowed three or fewer hits in a complete-game victory.
WSU would end the game with four home runs as a team among their 11 hits overall. Neveau led the Warrior way in RBI with three and Winona State earned four walks in the contest off of SMSU starter Morgyn Otte.
Winona State 10, Southwest Minnesota State 3
Game two saw a slower start offensively for Winona State but eventually, the Warrior bats got going, racking up ten runs in the final four innings of play after being held scoreless in the first three frames.
Fortunately for Winona State, starting pitcher
Abby Smith was able to hold the Mustang offense at bay over that same time frame, as SMSU failed to score in the first three innings of play. Although Southwest Minnesota State would take a brief 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of unearned runs following an error in Warrior infield, WSU would put the game to rest as the game unfolded.
Winona State responded with two runs in the fifth inning, three more in the sixth, and a four-spot in the seventh to pull away from SMSU.
Abbie Hlas and
Marissa Mullen led the Warrior offense as both players tallied a two-run home run in the late stages of the contest. Hlas, Mullen, and
Ashlee Chantos all had multi-hit games for WSU, while
Cammi Riemer added a pair of walks and a base hit to the Warrior effort.
Smith would pick up the win with six innings of work, holding Southwest Minnesota State to just four hits and two runs while striking out three.
Skyler Calmes pitched the final frame for Winona State and SMSU's Karlie Miller took the loss with a complete game in the Mustang circle.
Following the doubleheader sweep, Winona State moves to 22-9 overall and 5-1 in NSIC play. WSU is next in action on Wednesday, April 5 when they host Augustana University in an NSIC doubleheader. The Warriors and Vikings will see the first pitch at 3 pm at Maynard Johnson Field in Winona.
