WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University softball team takes two from the University of Sioux Falls in their final regular season doubleheader on Sunday, April 27. With the weekend sweep, the Warriors earned the third seed in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament.
Game 1| USF 4 - WSU 5:
It took two innings before either team was to get on the board and the Cougars were the first to do so in the top of the third. The first run came from a single hit by Taryn Wagner to score Addison Huele. Then USF score two more when Savanna Isaacson hit a single to score Wagner and Morgan Lindstad. The Warriors would start their comeback in the bottom of the third when bases were loaded and the USF pitcher walked
Braelee Jodarski allowing
Bryn Elsenpeter to cross homeplate putting the score at 3-1. The Cougars would extend their lead in the fourth when Meghen Jockemsen hit a single to score Amber McKinney, putting the score at 4-1. Winona State responded in the bottom of the inning when
Logan Anderson hit a solo homerun over the left field fence. Then when the Cougars' left field had a fielding error off of a hit by Elsenpeter,
Indigo Fish was able to score putting WSU behind 4-3. The bottom of the fifth inning the Warriors were able to take the lead when
Sam Keller hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner,
Kailey Plank, followed by
Alyssa Woelfel hitting a single up the middle to score Jodarski, putting the score at 5-4 in WSU's favor. Neither team was able to cross home plate allowing the Warriors to collect the win, 5-4.
In the circle,
Jayda Berg got the start pitching five innings collecting two strikeouts against 25 batters.
Izzy Howe finished out the game, pitching two inning collecting four strikeouts against seven batters. At the plate, Keller was 1 for 1 with one RBI and two walks, Woelfel was 1 for 3 with a RBI, Anderson was 1 for 3 with a homerun and a RBI, Elsenpeter was 1 for 3 with a double and a RBI,
Jaden Johnson was 1 for 2 with a double, and Jodarski collected an RBI.
Game 2| USF 0 - WSU 4:
Similar to game one, the first run wasn't score to until the third, but this time the Warriors were the first to score. Anderson was able to hit a single to left center to score Woelfel, putting the score 1-0. WSU wouldn't score again until the bottom of the sixth when
Ashlee Chantos hit a double to left center to score
Kiley Slaats. Then Keller singled up the middle to score Chantos and Jodarski to put the score at 4-0. The Cougars were not able to make a comeback leading to the Winona State victory of 4-0.
In the circle, Howe pitched all seven innings collecting 10 strikeouts with only four hits off of 27 batters. At the plate, Keller was 1 for 4 with with two RBIs, Woelfel was 2 for 4 with a double, Anderson was 1 for 4 with a RBI, Slaats was 2 for 4 with a double, and Chantos was 1 for 3 with a double and a RBI.
The Winona State University softball team will compete in the NSIC Softball Tournament as the third seed playing against the sixth seed, Concodia-St. Paul on Thursday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.
