Photo by Jake McNeill: Southwest Minnesota State University second baseman Lexi Ingalls (12) slides into home plate during the first game of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball doubleheader against UMary on Friday at Mustang Field in Marshall.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team picked up its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference sweep of the season on Friday when it hosted UMary at Mustang field. The Mustang bats got active early in the first game, leading to a 9-1 win in five Freshman catcher Grace Anderson hit her first collegiate home run in the second game of the doubleheader. She sat the first game but finished the second with three hits and three RBIs in four at-bats.

“I don’t even remember it, it just felt so good coming off the bat and it’s been a long time coming for me,” Anderson said. “[My teammates] were very excited for me. One thing about this team is we’re always excited for each others’ success.”

There was plenty of success for the Mustangs at the plate across the board. Seven different Mustangs recorded multiple hits on the day. Riley Kramolisch went 6 of 8 across the two games with three RBIs while Emma Humpal accounted for another four of the Mustangs’ 21 hits.

Kramolisch attributed the team’s success at the plate to their work in practice after getting swept by Augustana on Wednesday.

“We really focused on our bats and seeing our pitches that we wanted to attack in a game coming in against UMary where we know we could see our pitches and hit them well,” Kramolisch said.

Karli Miller also threw a complete game in the opener to earn the win while Morgyn Otte earned the victory after a 4 2/3-inning start in the second game.

SMSU improves to 22-12 on the season (4-4 NSIC) and will return to play today against Minot State (17-13, 5-2 NSIC). The game was originally slated to be played at Mustang Field but was relocated to the Maverick All-Sports Dome in Mankato due to Weather. The games are slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.

GAME 1 (5 inn.)

UMary 1

A pair of singles from Kramolisch and Abby Russell put runners on the corners with one out when RBI singles from Humpal and Paris Van Dyke gave SMSU a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. UMary made a pitching change, putting in Hailey Altenhoff for Arria Johnson, but a wild pitch scored Humpal to give SMSU a two-run cushion after the first.

SMSU sealed the win via mercy rule with a pair of fifth-inning runs. Karli Miller reached base on a throwing error by UMary second baseman Ariana Retuta, and a Lexi Ingalls single and Ava Rud getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases with no outs. Kramolisch then singled down the left-field line to drive in Miller and Ingalls, securing the win.

Miller improved to 9-5 on the season with the complete-game victory, allowing one run on three hits with a strikeout.

Madison Hunter hit a solo home run on the game’s fourth pitch, but the hit marked the only run UMary scored on the day.

The Mustangs doubled their lead in the second inning. A Kramolisch triple and a Boxrud double sent in one run, and Humpal drove in Boxrud on a single that found its way into right field.

In the fourth inning, a pair of singles from Kramolisch and Humpal scored Kramolisch. Humpal then stole second and scored on a Van Dyke double.

Johnson falls to 1-5 on the season with the loss for UMary, surrendering three earned runs on four hits while getting one out. In long relief, Altenhoff surrendered five earned runs on eight hits and a pair of walks over 3 2/3 frames.

GAME 2

SMSU 10, UMary 7

Boxrud drove in a pair of runs on the second Mustang at-bat of the second game to give SMSU an early spark. Kramolisch hit a leadoff single and Boxrud bunted Kramolisch over to second. A fielding error at first base allowed the two runners to advance into scoring position, and another error on the throw to second allowed both to run home.

Russell singled to keep the rally going and advanced to third when Humpal bunted Russell over to second base and UMary third baseman Sariah Perez left the bag uncovered. Paris Van Dyke was hit by a pitch and then took a free advance to second to put two runners in scoring position and Anderson drove them both in with a ground-ball single into right-center field.

“I think that we used the energy of run-ruling them in five [innings] and used that to really step on their throats in a way and keep our momentum and energy up,” Kramolisch said. “Not, like, stepping on their throats literally, but keeping our energy and keeping that power, and wanting to win and try to end it in five and save our pitchers’ arms a little more.”

Anderson launched her first collegiate home run to lead off the fifth inning, smashing a pitch over the left field wall to give SMSU a 9-4 advantage.

Morgyn Otte improved her record to 7-5 on the season after tossing the first 4 2/3 innings. She allowed four earned runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts, and held UMary hitless through the first three innings.

In relief, Jordyn Marsh tossed 2 1/3 frames while allowing three earned runs on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts. All three runs came on a Perez home run to left-center field with two outs and runners on first and second in the sixth inning.

The Mustangs further padded their lead with a four-run fourth inning. Three singles from Anderson, Ingalls and Kramolisch scored one run with one out and another RBI single from Boxrud prompted UMary to put Hannah Chambers in the circle for Elyssa Verploegen.

Despite the pitching change, the rally continued. A throwing error by UMary catcher Rilyn Kirkland trying to catch Boxrud stealing second allowed Kramolisch to score from third and, after Russell reached on a fielder’s choice, Humpal doubled to increase the Mustang lead to 8-2.

Verploegen fell to 4-7 on the season after giving up three earned and five unearned runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

Russell scored a run in the sixth inning when she singled up the middle and eventually scored on a wild pitch.