Independent file photo: Southwest Minnesota State University outfielder Riley Kramolisch rounds third base during an NSIC softball game against UMary, March 28 in Marshall. The Mustangs went on the road for a doubleheader against Minnesota Crookston on Saturday, finishing with a split.

MOORHEAD — Aliza Acker rattled off three hits and a homer to power the Southwest Minnesota State University softball team to a 7-2 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win over Minnesota Crookston Saturday afternoon. The Mustangs dropped the second of the doubleheader 4-3 in extra innings, splitting the weekend with the Golden Eagles.

Acker in particular had a shining afternoon offensively, finishing both games with a combined six hits, three runs, a trio of RBIs and two doubles, along with her home run.

With the split, SMSU moves to 17-13 on the season and 3-1 in conference play. The Mustangs will next host their home opener this weekend with a pair of games each Saturday and Sunday against Bemidji State (6-21, 0-4 NSIC) and Minnesota Duluth (17-10, 2-2 NSIC), respectively. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday at Mustang Field and 12 p.m. on Sunday, with the second game to follow.

GAME 1

SMSU 7, UMC 2

The Golden Eagles hung onto a 2-1 edge following the first four innings in the opening game on Saturday, but the Mustangs played a clean game and held UMC scoreless the final three frames while scoring six unanswered runs to come away with the 7-2 win.

UMC had four errors in the game while the Mustangs didn’t commit any.

With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Acker connected for a home run to tie the score up 2-2 to get the Mustangs’ rally started.

Acker also had a double on the day in the third inning.

Emma Humpal accounted for the next run off a Ramsey Hopp single RBI to right-center field. Humpal initially got on base with a single to shortstop following Acker’s homer to put SMSU on top with a 3-2 lead.

Kennah Bretschneider also went around the bases for SMSU’s lone run in the sixth inning for an unearned run for a two-run Mustang lead, 4-2. She first reached base on a Golden Eagles’ fielding error.

SMSU capped off the victory with a three-run seventh inning, highlighted by Hopp’s two-run RBI single to center field that scored Humpal and Morgan Alar. Jordyn Marsh reached base on an error and scored the final run unearned directly after on a Lexi Ingalls RBI single.

Ramsey got the win in the circle, pitching the first four innings with two strikeouts. She allowed six hits, two runs and two walks. Marsh came in with the save through the final innings, allowing a pair of hits and one walk with one strikeout.

GAME 2

UMC 4, SMSU 3

The second game of the doubleheader was tightly contested with a come-from-behind win by UMC that forced an extra inning of play. SMSU scored all three of its runs in the third inning, but the Golden Eagles eventually scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh along with the go-ahead run in the eighth.

After being held scoreless through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, UMC tied the score 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs off an RBI triple. The Golden Eagles scored their first two runs in the fifth inning to cut into a 3-2 deficit.

In response on the defensive side, UMC secured three quick outs on the Mustangs in the top of the eighth inning between a trio of ground outs. SMSU also left two runners on base, in Jordan Bussey and Bretschneider.

With one out on the board and two runners on base, UMC scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double to left field for the 4-3 victory to end the afternoon.

SMSU was the first to get on the board with its three runs in the top of the third for a 3-0 lead.

Acker hit a two-run RBI single out to left field to score Riley Kramolisch and Carley Stych, and Acker eventually found home off a UMC fielding error that was sparked by a Hopp single to right field.

SMSU had two errors in the game to UMC’s three.

Marsh spent the game in the pitching circle for the Mustangs, throwing all seven innings. She finished with two strikeouts while allowing 10 hits, four runs and a walk. UMC’s Charlotte Dombrowski got the win through her eight innings pitched, allowing eight hits and three runs with a trio of strikeouts and three walks.