Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WAYNE, Neb. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team dropped a pair of conference games on Friday, losing 4-0 and 7-0 to Wayne State (Neb.) in a twinbill held in Wayne, Neb.

MSUM fell to 2-17 overall and 0-4 in the NSIC with the losses, while Wayne State improved to 12-6 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC.

The Dragons had scoring chances in both games but left 11 runners on in the two contests.

"We are putting pressure on our defense and our pitching because we lately haven't been able to score a lot of runs," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We have work to get our bats going and manufacture runs."

In the first game, MSUM was led by sophomore Mollie Annen, who was 2-for-2 and also reached base after being hit by a pitch. Senior Amanda Moore was 2-for-3, while sophomores Brittany York and Taylor Huss each went 1-for-3. Sophomore Moriah Bruns had a stolen base.

Freshman Morgan Nybo pitched well in defeat for MSUM. She went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned), striking out a career-high seven. She allowed five hits and walked one.

The game was locked in a scoreless tie until the fifth when Wayne State's Megan Hagemann hit a line drive that curled down the line in left. The ball was originally ruled foul but the call was reversed by the umpire and ruled a homer, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Wayne State added two runs in the sixth thanks to a two-out, two-run single, and added an insurance run in the seventh off of MSUM reliever Taylor Clifton.

MSUM had a threat in the third. Annen was hit by a pitch with one out. On the next play, Bruns hit a bunt that was thrown away, allowing Annen to move to third. However, the Dragons were unable to plate a run leaving the score at 0-0. MSUM had runners reach base in all seven innings but could not string together hits to score a run.

In the second game, Annen and York were each 1-for-2, while sophomore Amanda Lynch was 1-for-3.

Wayne State built a 5-0 lead after three innings, leaving the Dragons in an early hole. MSUM had a scoring chance in the fourth when York walked to lead off the frame. Moore was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

After sophomore Taylor Huss flied out to center, freshman Kristi Bruni smahed a line drive that went right at Wayne State third baseman Jordan King, who caught the ball and doubled up York at second to end the threat.

MSUM had another chance in the fifth. Lynch led off with a single, and one out later, Annen singled. However, a groundout and strikeout ended the threat.

Freshman Katie Edison took the loss for MSUM, going three innings and allowing five runs (only one earned). She walked five and struck out none. Clifton pitched four innings of relief and allowed two earned runs.

The Dragons will look to regroup and bounce back against Augustana on Saturday. the doubleheader begins at noon in Sioux Falls, S.D.