CROOKSTON — The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team wrapped up its Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference road weekend sweeping the University Minnesota Crookston with an 11-2 win in game one and a 10-4 win in game two. Emma Grote ended the day with seven hits, five runs, and two doubles. The SMSU centerfielder was a part of the three Mustangs that scored on Kali Tomlinson’s home run that would run rule UMC in game one of the doubleheader.

SMSU’s sweep moves them up to 15-6 (5-1 NSIC) and drops UMC to 5-15 (1-5 NSIC)

In game one SMSU took no time getting on the board with Bailey Johnson doubling then Grote would do the same and bring Johnson home, she would then advance to third on a passed ball. Tomlinson would find herself at third when Jillian Noel would ground out to the catcher but would bring in Tomlinson. Lileya Kebos would single and then proceed to steal second marking her fourth stolen base this season.

SMSU would keep its bats rolling in the second with Johnson earning her second double of the game and Grote would single and bring Johnson home and extend the Mustangs’ lead 3-0.

UMC would find a stride of its own with Samatha Gutierrez earning a walk and Leah Macias singling. Sarah Velasquez would double and bring home both Gutierrez and Macias bringing the game score within one.

Both teams would earn hits in the third inning, however, the fourth inning is where the work would be done by the Mustangs. Johnson would reach on an error committed by the first baseman, Grote would follow up with a single and then Tomlinson would hit a crucial double bringing home both Johnson and Grote. The scoring wouldn’t stop there though, Noel would follow up Tomlinson’s double with a home run and put the Mustangs up 7-2.

Allison Christians would come in to relieve Megan Cull in the bottom of the fourth. Cull would end her day with four strikeouts in three innings. Christians would earn a strikeout along with catching a line drive to get SMSU out of the inning with only allowing one hit.

SMSU would not let off the gas in the final inning for the game, Molly Bull would get her team moving with a single. Patia Wolfe would ground out to shortstop but would allow Bull to advance to second. Johnson would get hit by a pitch and go to first, Grote would single advancing Johnson all the way to third and letting Bull to score.

Tomlinson would enter the batter’s box and hit her seventh home run of the season, a three-run shot, and push SMSU’s lead to 11-2.

SMSU would hold UMC with a fly and ground out hit and Christians would end the inning with her second strikeout of the day. SMSU totaled 14 hits in game one marking the ninth time this season SMSU has recorded double digit hit totals.

Cull (8-1) earned the victory, firing three innings and allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

In game two, SMSU would hold UMC through the first four innings while scoring six runs. SMSU would score its first run off of a Madysson Schliinz single that would score Makenna Waldow, who pinch ran for Noel, home to get the Mustangs on the board.

In the third inning the Mustangs would earn three runs off of five hits, Noel would hit a double advancing Tomlinson to third and Grote would score. Kebos would single and bring home both Noel and Tomlinson increasing SMSU’s lead 4-0.

In the fourth inning SMSU would keep up the momentum with Grote doubling and advancing Johnson to third. Noel would single and bring home Johnson along with advancing Grote to third. Next up to bat was Kebos who would single again and bring home Grote and advance Noel to third base. The inning would end with Schliinz flying out to center field and Lauren Klein grounding out to the first base.

UMC would answer back in the fourth inning with Cassie Querry hitting a solo home run to get the Golden Eagles on the board. Jones would earn two RBIs with a single and get UMC up to three. Christians would come in to relieve Bloemendaal after the two RBIs were scored.

In the fifth inning SMSU would add four more runs to its lead, starting off with Molly Bull singling. Tomlinson would hit a sacrifice fly and bring home Bull, Noel would follow with a single of her own and bring home Johnson. Hentges would reach on an error and bring home both Noel and Grote and bringing SMSU’s score up to 10.

UMC would score one more run in the fifth inning off of an Avalos solo home run, but after that the SMSU defense was remarkable. Christians would earn four strikeouts through the last two innings and only allow UMC four hits.

Christians (2-2) picked up the win in relief, tossing the final 3 1/3 innings and recording four strikeouts, allowing four hits and one run. Bloemendaal allowed three runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

SMSU softball will be back in action on Wednesday, taking on Augustana in Sioux Falls, S.D., with the doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications