BEMIDJI — The Southwest Minnesota State softball traveled to Bemidji State to continue Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Friday with Kaylee Hentges hitting her first two home runs on the season, with the first coming in the 6-5 win and her second coming in the 3-1 win. Kali Tomlinson would also find success in the batters box adding another home run to her stat line totaling six on the season and and increasing her RBI total to a team-high 21.

With the sweep SMSU is now 12-6 overall, 3-1 NSIC while BSU falls to 5-13, 1-3 NSIC.

In game one, Hentges got the Mustangs on the board early in the second inning hitting a solo home run. Madison Schliinz would get to first off an error by BSU’s shortstop. Patia Wolf would single down the left line and would advance Schliinz to second. Bailey Johnson would single and record one RBI while advancing Wolfe to second, and Schliinz would put the Mustangs up 2-0 going into the third inning.

SMSU would keep the bats rolling in the third with Lileya Kebos getting a single up the middle and then would proceed to steal second. Hentges would reach on a fielding error by second base and Kebos would advance to third. Molly Bull would single to right field and get Hentges to second and bring Kebos home, giving the Mustangs a strong 3-0 lead. BSU would answer back though with Lisa Kossan reaching on a fielder’s choice and then would advance to second on a Kora Martin single. Lexi Derrick would double and get her team on the board bringing home both Kossan and Martin, making the score 3-2 with the Mustangs leading.

In the top of the fourth SMSU wasn’t backing down, earning two runs with three hits. Kebos would sacrifice bunt with Jilllian Noel and Tomlinson on and she would bring Tomlinson home. Hentges would single to center field and bring Noel home. Megan Cull would earn a strikeout and would allow only one hit for BSU to end the fourth.

In the fifth inning BSU would rally and tie the game with a homerun from Sami Dullum bringing home Martin and Kossan earning three RBIs. BSU would end the inning with four hits and a runner left on base.

SMSU would keep the scoring going with Noel doubling down the left field line and would bring Tomlinson home putting the Mustangs up 6-5. SMSU would have Allison Christians come in for Megan Cull and get the Mustangs out of the sixth quickly with a strikeout, a pop-up and a ground out to Christians.

In the bottom of the seventh Christians would earn two strikeouts paired with a grounder to shortstop SMSU would win game one with a score of 6-5.

In game two SMSU wouldn’t waste any time getting on the board with Tomlinson hitting her sixth home run this season, putting the Mustangs up 1-0 early.

Shelby Bloemendaal would earn two strikeouts in the bottom of the first and would keep the Beavers scoreless going into the second inning.

SMSU would keep its power hitting going with Hentges hitting her second solo home run on the day putting her team up 2-0. Bloemendaal would record another strikeout in the second inning and keep BSU scoreless.

In the fourth inning Kebos would lead off for the Mustangs and find her fourth triple on the season. Hentges would follow up with a grounder to second base but would advance Kebos home putting the Mustangs up 3-0 in the fourth.

Bloemendaal would keep pitching well and finished tossing 6 1/3 innings, recording six strikeouts with only allowing two hits and one run.

Bloemendaal would hit Ashley Herold with one out in the seventh before Christians entered the game and earned the save recording two strikeouts to end the game and give SMSU the 3-1 win.

SMSU will travel to University of Minnesota Crookston today with another NSIC doubleheader starting at noon.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications