Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team combined all phases of the game to record 2-0 and 6-0 wins over Bemidji State on Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa.
Freshman pitchers Morgan Nybo and Taylor Clifton each fired the first complete game shutouts of their respective collegiate careers, while the Dragons' defense was solid all day, not committing an error. And in both games, MSUM got timely hits to get the key runs on the board.

"We played great defense today and our pitchers threw well," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We were able to get some timely hits and put some runs up. We really played two complete games."

MSUM recorded its first doubleheader sweep of the season, and the wins also marked the Dragons' first two shutouts of the year.

Nybo won her team-best third game of the year with a two-hit shutout. She struck out a career-high nine and walked four. Only two Bemidji State runners reached third base.

The Dragons outhit the Beavers 7-2. Freshman Kristy Bruni was 2-for-3, while sophomore Mollie Annen was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore Moriah Bruns was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while sophomore Brittany York was 1-for-4.

The game was a pitching scoreless pitching duel between Nybo and Bemidji State's Allie Duellman for six innings before MSUM broke through in the top of the seventh. Bruni led off the frame with a single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Kristen Nordby. A groundout advanced Bruni to third. The Dragons then came up with back-to-back two-out hits to break the tie.

Bruns singled through the right side to score Bruni, giving the Dragons a 1-0 lead. Allen then doubled to score Bruns, giving the Dragons a 2-0 lead.

Nybo made it stand in bottom of the seventh, retiring the side in order, with two outs coming from strikeouts.

In the second game, Clifton picked up the first win of her collegiate career with a five-hit shutout. She struck out one and walked none and retired the last 10 batters she faced.

The Dragons had seven hits once again, but three went for extra bases. Senior Amanda Moore was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Nordby was 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBI. York was 1-for-4 witn an RBI and run scored, while Annen was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI. Bruns was 1-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, while Bruni was 1-for-3.

MSUM jumped on the board right away in the first. Bruns led off with a triple, and one out later, scored on an RBI single by York to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead. York advanced to second and would score on an RBI single by Moore to push the MSUM advantage to 2-0.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the second when Bruns walked with two out, and scored when Annen doubled to center.

In the third, Moore led off with a single. Freshman Kelly Watson pinch-ran for Moore and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Amanda Lynch. Sophomore Taylor Huss walked.  Bruni singled; on the play, the ball was misplayed in center, allowing Watson to score and Huss to move to third. Nordby's groundout to second scored Huss to push MSUM's lead to 5-0.

Nordby hit a solo homer in the sixth -- her third of the year -- to push the Dragon lead to 6-0.

That was more than enough for Clifton, who allowed just two runners to reach third base in the game.

MSUM wraps up the weekend against Minnesota-Crookston on Sunday. The doubleheader begins at 11 a.m. in Sioux City.

Notes: Annen now leads with nine doubles on the year, a mark that is tied for ninth in the NSIC...Bruns, Moore and Nordby share the team lead with three homers each, with Moore leading with 16 RBI...Clifton has only walked 12 batters in 53.2 innings...Bruns now has three triples on the year, a mark that is tied for fourth in the NSIC.