Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 VADNAIS HEIGHTS, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon softball team went 2-2 as they opened the 2012 season at the Duluth Tournament at Vadnais Heights Dome in Vadnais Heights, Minn. on Feb. 28 & 29. The Dragons faced the University of Minnesota, Crookston and Bemidji State University on Feb. 28 and Northern State University and the University of Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 29.

MSUM vs. UMC
At 12 p.m. the MSUM played their first game against the UMC Golden Eagles. The Dragons, the visitors on the scoreboard, started out the first inning with two hits and one run scored by Brittany York. The Golden Eagles matched this run with one of their own in the bottom of the first.

The Dragons big inning came in the top of the fourth, which was kicked off with a single by Becca Mroz. The Dragons scored nine runs off seven hits in the inning, making the score 10-5 in favor of MSUM. Mroz, Mollie Annen, Taylor Huss, Miranda Bronson, York, Amanda Moore, AJ Hoefer and Moriah Burns all scored for the Dragons.  

MSUM scored three runs apiece in the next two innings. All three of the runs in the sixth came off an Amanda Moore three-run homerun. The Golden Eagles combine for three runs in the fifth in sixth to make the score 16-11.

Both teams were scoreless in the final inning, giving the Dragons the five run victory. Miranda Bronson led the team with four hits, going .800 at the plate. Taylor Huss hit .600 on in the game with 3 hits.

MSUM vs. BSU
The Dragons were the home team on the scoreboard in their 3-1 victory over Bemidji State University in day one of the tournament.

Bemidji opened the game with one run off four hits in the top of the first inning. This was the Beavers only run of the game. The Dragons answered in the bottom of the first with a run of their own of two hits by York and Hoefer.

The Dragons were scoreless in the second and third innings, leaving three players on base.  In the fourth inning the Dragons scored the final two runs. After starting off the innings with two outs, Huss was walked. Burns singled at the plate next for the Dragons, advancing Huss to second. Smith was then able to reach on a Beaver error giving Huss and Burns each an unearned run to make the score 3-1.

The final innings were scoreless by both teams, giving the Dragons the victory.  AJ Hoefer led the team hitting 2-of-3 with one RBI. Moriah Burns hit 2-of-2 at the plate and scored one run.


MSUM vs. NSU
The Dragons took on the Northern State University Wolves on 9 a.m. on Feb. 29. The Wolves were victorious over the Dragons, 13-5, handing the team their first loss of the season.

The Wolves, the visitors on the scoreboard, opened the game with a big first inning. The team scored all 13 of their runs in that inning of seven hits and three errors by the Dragons. The Dragons were scoreless and hitless after the first inning, but picked up in the second inning.

The Dragons scored one unearned run in the bottom of the second off three hits by Annen, Huss and Rachel Sannicandro. The Dragons were again scoreless in the third and fourth, but came out strong in the fifth; scoring four runs off of three hits. Bronson, York and Moore had RBI's in the inning to make the score 13-5 in favor of the Wolves.

Amanda Moore had two RBI's in the game and one hit out of three at bats. Short stop Taylor Huss hit 2-of-2 in the game.

MSUM vs. UMD
In the Dragons final game of the tournament, they lost a close game to the University of Minnesota Duluth, 7-6.

MSUM opened the game with three runs and five hits from Smith, York, Moore, Bronson and a Hoefer double. Duluth answered with three runs off two hits of their own. The Dragons scored another two runs in the second inning off doubles from Burns and Hoefer and a single from Smith. The Dragons held the Bulldogs scoreless in the bottom of the second.

The Dragons only had one hit and no runs in the top of the third inning, to match Duluth's two hit two run inning. One of their runs came unearned on a Dragon error. The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the fourth to make the score 7-5, in favor of Duluth.

In the sixth inning, the Dragons scored their final run of the game. After a strike out, Mroz doubled, followed immediately by a double from Burns, scoring Mroz. The next played Annen lined out to third base, ending the Dragons run.

Hoefer led the team again with 2-of-4 hits, three RBI's and one run scored. Burns, Bronson and Smith all posted two hits as well. Burns, Moore and York totaled the rest of the teams RBI's with one apiece.

The Dragon softball team will next see action will be their spring break trip, where they will face off with 12 teams from around the country. On March 24 the Dragons will return to their home field to kick off Northern Sun Conference Action against the Upper Iowa Peacocks at 1 p.m.