ROCHESTER, Minn. - The Winona State University softball team bowed out of the 2023 NSIC Softball Tournament on Thursday, May 5, falling 4-1 to the University of Minnesota Duluth in the first game of the day and then dropping an elimination game to Concordia St. Paul, 9-0.
Winona State had put together an impressive offensive performance the day before in a 12-9 win over Minnesota State Moorhead to advance to Wednesday's second round, but the Warrior bats turned cold against the Bulldogs and the Golden Bears.
Minnesota Duluth 4, Winona State 1
Facing NSIC Pitcher of the Year Lauren Dixon, Winona State was able to put some runners aboard in the game - earning seven hits and three walks - but were unable to match their run-scoring capability of the day before.
Carly Engelhardt singled in
Savannah Serdynski in the seventh inning in an attempt to ignite a rally in the Warriors' last at-bats, but the four-run UMD lead proved to be tough to overcome late in the contest.
Minnesota Duluth had scored one run in the first frame and two more in the second inning to move into the lead early on. The Bulldogs would go on to add one more in the bottom of the fourth and were held scoreless after that by Winona State starting pitcher
Abby Smith who went the distance for the Warriors.
In a game that only saw three extra-base hits combined between the two teams, all doubles, it was a pair of UMD two-base knocks that proved to be the difference in the contest.
The top of the WSU lineup accounted for the two multi-hit Warriors; leadoff batter
Abbie Hlas and
Carly Engelhardt - batting in the No. 2 spot - both went 2-for-4 at the plate.
As a team, Winona State scored one run on seven hits and did not commit an error. UMD scored four times on eight hits and had one error in the field.
Concordia St. Paul 9, Winona State 0
The Golden Bears took advantage of a pair of solo home runs down the left field line to jump ahead of Winona State 2-0 after three innings and then saw CSP starter Erica McCullough go on to throw a one-hitter, ending the WSU season.
CSP would go on to rack up nine runs on 12 hits, including two early home runs and one double. Winona State's Logan Anderson registered the only Warrior hit, a single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
For Winona State, starting pitcher Abbie Hlas threw the first three innings, surrendering five hits and allowing five runs, all earned. Hlas registered one strikeout and allowed one walk. Skyler Calmes took over in the fourth inning, allowing four earned runs. Calmes also generated one walk and recorded one strikeout.
The seven-run Golden Bear fourth inning resulted in a 9-0 WSU deficit, ending the game when it reached the fifth inning.
With the loss, Winona State ended the 2023 Warrior season with a 38-16 overall record.
