SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Southwest Minnesota State picked up its first conference win of the season on Thursday splitting a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball doubleheader with Upper Iowa at Sherman Park. SMSU rallied to win 9-8 in the opener before UIU earned an 8-4 win in game two.

The games were originally scheduled to be played in Marshall but were moved because of field conditions. SMSU will close the week today facing No. 8-ranked Winona State for a twinbill starting at 2 p.m. at Sherman Park.

SMSU is now 6-13 overall, 1-3 NSIC, while UIU sits at 14-10 overall, 1-3 NSIC.

In game one, SMSU rallied for the victory after trailing 7-3 in the fifth inning, by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth and adding the eventual game-winning run in the sixth.

UIU scored three runs in the second-highlighted by a two-run home run-to build a 3-0 advantage.

SMSU answered in the home half of the third on an RBI single by Kaylee Hentges and a two-run single by Mackenzie Clouse to tie the game at 3-3.

UIU added a single run in the fourth and three more in the fifth to build a 7-3 lead before SMSU mounted its rally. The rally started with a single by Emma Grote and back-to-back walks to load the bases. Kali Tomlinson then stroked a two-run double to cut the deficit in half. Clouse followed with an RBI single before Madison Krog was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. Sara DeSmet tied the game with an RBI single before Abbie Decker hit a sac fly to put SMSU in the lead at 8-7.

SMSU picked up a huge insurance run the sixth as Bailey Johnson scored on a throwing error by the UIU third baseman to push the lead to 9-7.

UIU would hit a two-out, solo home run in the seventh-the team’s third home run of the game-but it wasn’t enough as SMSU snapped its four-game losing streak.

Athena Golling (3-4) earned the win in relief tossing the final 2 1/3 innings allowing just the one home run. She struck out two and did not walk a batter. Shelby Crank started and pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing seven runs (six earned) on 13 hits with three strikeouts.

Johnson, Clouse and Madysson Schliinz paced SMSU’s 11-hit attack with two hits each.

In the nightcap, UIU used a three-run third inning to open a 4-0 lead, then pushed across three unearned runs in the fourth to build a 7-0 advantage.

SMSU scored its first run of the game on a Johnson single to score Schliinz in the bottom of the fourth.

UIU added another unearned run in the fifth, but Tomlinson answered with a solo home run in the home half to make the deficit 8-2. It was Tomlinson’s team-leading third home run of the season.

SMSU made the score 8-4 in the sixth scoring a run on a UIU fielding error before Clouse drilled an RBI single.

The Mustangs finished game two with five hits.

Megan Cull (0-5) suffered the loss in the circle firing three innings and allowing four runs on seven hits.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

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