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SMSU SOFTBALL: Mustangs close home season with big sweep over Bulldogs

Photo by Sam Thiel SMSU’s Madysson Schliinz throws to first during game one of their doubleheader against St. Cloud State on Saturday. SMSU fell to St. Cloud State 6-5 and 11-2 on Saturday but defeated Minnesota Duluth 8-0 and 4-3 on Sunday.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (25-15, 15-10 NSIC), in its last Northern Sun Intercollegiate home game of the season, celebrated senior day where six members; Kaylee Hentges, Kali Tomlinson, Megan Cull, Emma Grote, Madison Krog, and Madysson Schliinz were recognized before the first game against University of Minnesota Duluth (27-13, 17-9 NSIC).

The Mustangs earned the sweep over the Bulldogs with Cull throwing a shutout in game one winning 8-0 in five innings. Game two would go into extra innings, but the Mustangs were able to win 4-3. With two outs, Emma Grote reached on an infield single, allowing Madysson Schliinz to reach home.

In game two both teams took to a slow start with the Mustangs getting on the board in the bottom of the second after Krog hit a sac fly to right field and brought home Lauren Klein giving SMSU the 1-0 advantage.

SMSU would hold UMD from scoring and bring in another run with Tomlinson hitting her 11th home run of the season. Tomlinson would record two hits with an RBI and a run to end game two.

In the bottom of the fourth SMSU would add to its lead with bases loaded, Grote hit a single to shortstop but would advance Molly Bull home pushing SMSU’s lead to three.

UMD found its way onto the board in the sixth inning with Jordyn Thomas hitting a sac fly that brought home Makenna Burslie recording an unearned run cutting the deficit to two.

In the top of the seventh UMD would keep its momentum and score two more runs tying the game at three. SMSU would look to win the game in the bottom of the inning with a scoring opportunity with Tomlinson at second and Jillian Noel at first but a deep hit by Krog in center field would be caught and send the game into extra innings.

SMSU held UMD with Cull recording one of her two strikeouts in game two, and UMD hitting fly balls to shortstop and the centerfielder. Makenna Waldow would reach first on a UMD error and then advance to second and third on wild pitches.

After intentionally walking Bailey Johnson, Grote would step into the batter’s box already recording a hit and an RBI on the day. She would reach on an error allowing Schliinz to run home and score the game winning run.

Shelby Bloemendaal would start in the circle for the Mustangs in game two throwing 6 1/3 innings and recording three strikeouts, before being relieved by Cull who would receive the win after throwing 1 2/3 innings recording two strikeouts allowing only two hits.

In game one SMSU was pumped for their seniors with the team totaling eight hits in five innings and starter Megan Cull throwing her third shutout on the season recording three strikeouts and allowing three hits.

SMSU would heat up in the second inning recording six runs on six hits with Schliinz walking on bases loaded bringing home Molly Bull. Johnson would then follow up by hitting a double deep into center field, clearing the bases.

Grote would single to shortstop and advance Johnson to third. Kebos would step up and single down the right field line bringing home both Grote and Johnson and putting SMSU up 6-0.

UMD would record a hit in both the fourth and fifth inning but would be unable to capitalize on them. SMSU would cushion its lead in the fourth with two more runs, starting with Johnson hitting her second double, and third hit, in game one scoring on a series of wild pitches.

Noel would ground out to the pitcher but Tomlinson would also find her way home ending the game and run ruling the Bulldogs in five.

SMSU will be on the road next weekend facing Minnesota State on Saturday May 7, starting at 3 p.m. before playing its last regular season doubleheader Sunday against Concordia-St. Paul starting at noon.

Saturday

St. Cloud State 6, SMSU 5

St. Cloud State 11, SMSU 2 (6 innings)

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (23-14, 14-10 NSIC) was swept in Saturday’s Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader against St. Cloud State University (22-12, 11-9 NSIC). Game one would have three lead changes but a clutch single to center field in the top of the seventh would give SCSU the 6-5 win in game one. The Huskies would keep on the gas for game two winning 11-2 and earning the sweep over the Mustangs.

In game one SMSU got an early lead with Bailey Johnson hitting a solo homer down the right field line to put the team up 1-0. Jillian Noel would also hit a double but wouldn’t find her way home.

St. Cloud State would find its way onto the board in the top of the third with a single to center field with Brooke Bowlin scoring and tying the game at one.

SCSU would find a groove in the fifth bringing in three runs and hit a double and triple giving the Huskies the 4-1 lead. SMSU would answer back in the bottom of the inning with four runs and four hits coming off of a Bull and Kebos single, and a Johnson and Tomlinson double. On Johnson’s double three of the four runs would score and Kebos’ single would bring in the lead changing run going up 5-4.

SCSU would add four more hits in the sixth and seventh inning totaling 12 hits for the team on the day. They would take those four hits and put up two more runs gaining the 6-5 lead, SMSU would look to score in the bottom of the seventh with Tomlinson singling to left field, the game would end with Lileya Kebos flying out left field.

The majority of SMSU’s pitching staff would see action in the circle with Shelby Bloemendaal getting the start and throwing two innings and allowing three hits. Megan Cull would come in and throw three innings recording three strikeouts and allowing four runs.

Allison Christians would come in the game for the remaining two innings and recording two strikeouts and allowing two runs one which would give the Huskies the lead and Christians the loss making her 6-3 on the season.

Lauren Kirchberg would relieve Kylie Thomsen and throw two innings and would get the win making her 8-4 on the season.

Game two would start with the Huskies carrying over their momentum from game recording two runs with one hit in the first inning giving them the 1-0 lead.

SMSU would tie the game in the bottom of the inning with Madison Krog singling to left center bringing home both Tomlinson and Johnson and tie things at 2-2.

SMSU would record a hit in the second inning, but both teams would stay quiet till the top of the forth. The Huskies would find their groove again and record six runs on five hits only leaving one runner on with Tenley Quensnell grounding out to second to end the top of the inning with SCSU leading 8-2.

SMSU would come out strong in the bottom of the inning with Schliinz doubling to right field and Emma Grote singling to shortstop, but the momentum would stop with both Tomlinson and Noel popping out to second base.

SMSU would add three more hits in the remainder of the game totaling eight in game two. SCSU would add three runs in the top of the sixth totaling the Huskies score to 11 and give them the win with Schliinz and Bull flying out to left and center field.

SMSU would use three of the same pitchers from game one with Bloemendaal starting for the Mustangs throwing three innings and allowing two runs. Cull would enter the circle in the fourth and give up six runs and be relieved by Christians who stayed in the circle for the remaining two innings recording four strikeouts and allowing two hits. Cull would receive the loss making her 10-4 on the season. For SCSU, Trinity Junker would pitch the whole game, recording five strikeouts and allowing eight hits.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications

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