TOPEKA, Kan. -The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (1-5) closed the final day of play at the Washburn Invitational, falling 2-0 to Washburn (12-11), and 5-4 to Emporia State (11-7), on Sunday afternoon at the Washburn Complex.

Kali Tomlinson capitalized on a 13-hit weekend, going 4-for-4 at the plate, including one RBI in the fall to Emporia State. ESU strung together five runs off seven hits while the Mustangs came up one short with four runs off 12 hits.

ESU went on the board in the first inning after a double to center would kick off the top with one run off one hit. ESU would advance the lead to 2-0 after the second, off a triple to kick off the second followed by a groundout.

Before SMSU could go on the board, ESU’s Maddy Broxterman ripped a 2 RBI-single to left field to advance the lead to 4-0.

The Mustangs scraped together one run in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles from Tomlinson and Emma Grote putting two runners on. The Mustangs loaded the bases as Lileya Kebos singled down the left field line to score Grote to go on the board at 4-1 after five complete.

The Mustangs roared up again the sixth to walk away with two runs off four hits and two left on base. Bailey Johnson sent an RBI-double to center to bring in Kaylee Hentges for the first run, followed by a single from Tomlinson to score Madyyson Schliinz.

Both teams scored one run in the seventh as the Mustangs came up one short after Kebos scored off a groundout to short in the bottom.

In the game versus Washburn, the Ichabods scored their two runs off six hits while the Mustangs were unable to bring a runner in off four hits and stranding six.

WU scored their first run in the bottom of the first with a three-hit first inning and would put the second run up in the bottom of the third off another three-hit inning. SMSU’s Alli Christians (0-2), who tossed six innings with two strikeouts, struck out the final batter with bases loaded to keep the runners at bay.

Kebos led SMSU in the fall to WU going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Saturday

Nebraska-Kearney 10, SMSU 5

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team fell 10-5 to Nebraska Kearney to open the second day of play at the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kan., at Hummers Sports Park on Saturday morning.

The Lopers scored 10 runs off 13 hits, while the Mustangs plated five off eight hits.

UNK recorded two four-run innings in the top of the second and seventh, and also a two-run fourth to scrape together the double-digit runs. The Mustangs put one up one run in the first, three in the fifth, and one in the bottom of the seventh to come up short following the Lopers big top of the seventh.

Kali Tomlinson went 3-for-3, including her third consecutive game with a home run. Tomlinson drove in two RBIs and scored two runs.

Bailey Johnson was the only other Mustang to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run.

Starting pitcher Makayla Hoselton suffered the loss in the circle for a 0-1 record.

Fort Hays State 4, SMSU 0

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team finished the second day of play at the Washburn Invitational, falling 4-0 to Fort Hays State (12-8), on the campus of Washburn University on Saturday afternoon.

FHSU strung together four runs off seven hits while the Mustangs stranded six runners off three hits.

Three Mustangs recorded one hit each with Bailey Johnson leading the game, going 1-for-2 at the plate, while Kali Tomlinson and Madysson Schliinz went 1-for-3.

Shelby Bloemendaal (0-2) went 0-for-3 at the plate and suffered the loss in the circle tossing five innings with two walks and four strikeouts off 24 batters faced.

Southwest Minnesota State prepares for a 10-game spring break trip from March 8-12, facing eight non-conference opponents in Winter Haven, Fla.

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of SMSU Athletic

Communications