SMSU SOFTBALL: SMSU earns doubleheader split against Sioux Falls in home opener
Trending
MARSHALL -- After spending the first 52 days of their season on the road, the Southwest Minnesota State University softball team came back home looking to get back into the win column after dropping seven straight games. Facing the University of Sioux Falls, the Mustangs fell in Game 1 of their doubleheader with the Cougars 11-7, but rebounded with a 3-0 victory in Game 2 to earn the split on Monday at Mattke Field.
SMSU coach Bailey Bouman said she was pleased with how her team kept fighting and made the right adjustments between games.
"The kids played well, I think we bounced back really well from the first game to the second game," Bouman said. "Sioux Falls is great both offensively and defensively, so I thought we did a great job of battling. We also put the ball in play and our pitchers did their job, so it was a good day."
Game 1
Sioux Falls jumped out to an early lead, using a two-run single to take a 2-0 lead after one, but SMSU responded in the next inning. Patia Wolfe led things off with a single before advancing on a sacrifice by Makenna Waldow and scoring on a RBI groundout by Abby Russell. After Emily Tatur drew a walk, Bailey Johnson blasted a three-run shot to left-center to put SMSU up 4-2 after two.
USF quickly answered, using a pair of doubles to plate two runs and tie things up at 4-4 in the top of the third, but the Mustangs had another response in the next half-inning. After Shelby Bloemendaal drew a leadoff walk, Waldow connected on an RBI single to give SMSU a 5-4 lead. SMSU wasn't done there, getting a walk from Russell before a double steal and an RBI single by Tatur brought in two more runs to make it 7-4 after three.
Sioux Falls would answer with an RBI single in the top half of the fourth to draw the deficit to 7-5 before getting a leadoff triple and an RBI single in the sixth to make it a one-run game at 7-6. After SMSU couldn't take advantage of a one-out double in the bottom half of the sixth, USF kept battling and reached on an error before a wild pitch, infield single and ground-rule double tied things up at 7-7. The Cougars then loaded the bases before a double and an error plated four runs to give them an 11-7 lead. SMSU then went down in order in the bottom half of the frame to close the opener.
Johnson led SMSU with two hits, including a home run, and three RBI while Tatur added two hits and an RBI and Waldow had a hit and an RBI.
Bloemendaal earned the start in the circle, going five innings while allowing six runs on eight hits and struck out one. Morgyn Otte took the loss in relief, going two innings while allowing five runs on four hits and struck out three.
Game 2
In the second game, SMSU got a solid start, using a one-out double from Molly Bull before Wolfe reached on an error and Waldow brought in a run on a sacrifice to make it 1-0 after two. After a scoreless third, USF had an opportunity to get on the board in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs, but SMSU starter Karlie Miller got out of the jam to preserve the one-run lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs got a one-out single from Paige Shwaluk before Tatur connected on an RBI single to make it 2-0. SMSU added to its lead in the next inning, with Jillian Noel reaching on an infield single before Bull and Wolfe reached to bring in a run and make it 3-0.
Wolfe led SMSU with two hits and an RBI while Bull added two hits and Tatur had a hit and an RBI.
Bouman said their key offensively was their ability to focus on putting the ball in play and just making solid contact.
"I thought the kids saw the ball really well," Bouman said. "They were focusing on putting the ball in play and not trying to do too much with it; when the wind is going out to left, your eyes can get really big, but I think they just did a good job of focusing on making quality contact."
Miller earned the victory in the circle, tossing all seven innings while allowing no runs on just two hits and struck out five.
Bouman said all of their pitchers did a good job of limiting walks and attacking the zone consistently.
"I think we limited our walks for the most part, we worked with our zones pretty well and kind of kept them off balance the best we could, but the pitchers did a good job of keeping the ball in the park," Bouman said. "That's all you can ask for."
Up next
SMSU (9-16 overall, 1-1 NSIC) will hit the road next weekend, taking on Winona State University in a doubleheader next Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. before facing Upper Iowa University in a doubleheader on Sunday at noon and 2 p.m. Going into their next matchups, Bouman said they just need to continue to fight and avoid allowing big innings by their opponent.
"I think we've just got to keep battling," Bouman said. "We've got to avoid big innings and fight through the seventh inning and get off the field with two outs."