WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (5-5) went 2-0 for the second straight day at The Spring Games with a 14-3 victory over Glenville State (8-11) and a walk-off two-run homer from freshman Jillian Noel, would earn the Mustangs an 8-7 victory over Lake Erie (1-7) in the bottom of the ninth, on Monday afternoon at the DiamondPlex.

The Mustangs kicked off the scoring in the top of the third versus Glenville State, as Madysson Schliinz scored on an unearned run on a single from Noel and Lileya Kebos ripped a double to right field to score two more runs before the inning was over.

The Pioneers responded in the bottom as a fielder’s choice brought in one runner to trail 3-1 after three complete.

SMSU scrapped together a two-run fourth inning, a four-run sixth inning, and blasted a five-run seventh inning to post its 17 hits total.

Emma Grote led the Mustangs going 4-for-5 at the plate and scoring three runs, to lead the Mustangs in multiple hits as Noel went 3-for-5 with one run and two RBIs. Kebos, Kaylee Hentges, and Schliinz all rounded out the Mustangs to finish with multiple hits (2).

The Mustangs kept the bats hot in the second game of the day versus Lake Erie as the scoring started in the bottom of the first with a 2-RBI double from Kali Tomlinson would score Bailey Johnson and Grote, who both reached base on a walk.

The teams would play four scoreless innings total and the Mustangs would speak up once again in the fourth with a three-run inning, and would hold a 5-0 lead until Lake Erie responded with a loud top of the seventh to tie the game up.

After six innings of a shutout, LEC strung together four consecutive singles to score five runs off five hits to send the game into extra innings.

With the international rule, LEC started off the top of the eight scoring one run on a fielder’s choice. The Mustangs responded with a sac fly from Johnson to left field to score Kristen Neumann and tie it back up.

LEC earned their last run of the game off a grounder to second to take a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

With Emma Grote on second to start, Tomlinson lined out to short stop before Noel, hit her first collegiate home run to score the winning run with a two-run homer of the left field fence.

Noel finished game two going 4-for-5 with one run and four RBIs. Tomlinson was only other Mustang to record a multi-hit game going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one run.

SMSU continues action on Tuesday, March 10, facing Trevecca Nazarene at 1:45 p.m. EDT and Salem (W.Va) at 4 p.m., at the Auburndale Softball Complex.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications