Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MANKATO, Minn. - The Winona State University softball team earned a hard-fought split at Minnesota State on Thursday, narrowly losing in game one but rebounding to shut out the Mavericks in the back half of an NSIC doubleheader in Mankato. 

Winona State dropped game one 2-1 against Minnesota State as a Maverick triple in the fifth inning with two runners aboard separated the two teams, erasing an Abbie Hlas RBI single in the third. However, WSU's Jayda Berg produced an impressive game two pitching performance, shutting out the Mavericks 4-0 behind a stellar defensive effort by the Warriors. 

Game 1: Minnesota State 2, Winona State 1 | WSU starter Izzy Howe held MSU to eight hits overall and struck out three, but the Warrior bats ran up against an equally adept hurler in the Maverick's McKayla Armbruster.  Winona State suffered seven strikeouts in the game, but Abbie Hlas went 3-for-4 including an RBI single that scored Sam Keller. Kiley Slaats picked up a stolen base and Keller had the only extra-base hit for WSU, a double that preceded Hlas' RBI base hit. 

WSU threatened to tie the game late in the top of the seventh with back-to-back singles by Slaats and Carly Engelhardt. However, WSU was unable to ultimately plate a run and fell 2-1 to the Mavericks.  Howe went the distance for Winona State, striking out three while not allowing a walk in the contest. 

Game 2: Winona State 4, Minnesota State 0 | Jayda Berg brought her 'A' game against Minnesota State in game two, going the full seven innings to earn the shutout win over the Mavericks. Berg scattered seven hits, six of which were singles, en route to the victory and leaned on the Warrior defense in the fifth inning, as WSU used an inning-ending double play to stymie a potential Maverick rally. 

Offensively, Carly Engelhardt turned in an impressive 3-for-4 outing at the plate, adding two doubles to the Warrior scorecard. Abbie Hlas, Kiley Slaats, Teaghen Amwoza, and Savannah Serdynski all also chipped in doubles on the day, with each extra-base hit yielding an RBI. WSU scored one run in the third and sixth inning, and added two in the top of the seventh for the win. 

Winona State was flawless in the field defensively in the key victory. Berg and company dealt Minnesota State just their third shutout loss of the 2024 season. 

Winona State (26-16, 12-6 NSIC) will return to action on Saturday, April 20 when they host Augustana University for a NSIC doubleheader. The Vikings and Warriors are set for a 1 p.m. first pitch in the Saturday match-up.