CLERMONT, Fla. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team improved to 5-3 on the year with a pair of wins at the NTC Spring Games on Sunday. The Dragons beat Philadelphia, 9-1 in five innings and edged Ferris State, 4-3 to cap off a 2-0 day.

The 5-3 start is the best for the Dragons since the 2007 season.

"We had two good team wins today," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We had a solid day at the plate, our pitchers threw well and we were solid defensively."

MSUM junior pitcher Morgan Nybo was strong in the win over Philadelphia, allowing just one earned run in five innings. She struck out two and walked one and scattered six hits.

Junior second baseman Kristen Nordby led the Dragon offense, going 2-for-2 with a homer and four RBI. Senior catcher Brittany York was 1-for-2 with a solo homer, while sophomore left fielder Carly Williamson was 2-for-2 with a triple and an RBI. Sophomore first baseman Lauren Meeker was 1-for-3 with an RBI, while sophomore designated hitter Jill Fox had an RBI and scored two runs. Junior right fielder Kristy Bruni had an RBI while Nybo, senior shortstop Taylor Huss and senior center fielder Mollie Annen each had hits for MSUM.

The Dragons struck quickly against Philadelphia (0-3) in the bottom of the first. Annen singled and moved to second after Fox reached base on an error. York walked to load the bases. One out later, Nordby singled to score Fox, giving MSUM an early 1-0 lead. Bruni's RBI groundout scored York with the Dragons' second run of the inning.

MSUM broke the game open in the second with five runs. Nybo led off with a single and scored on Williamson's RBI triple. One out later, Fox drove in a run on a fielder's choice to make it 4-0.

With two out, Huss doubled to center to advance Fox to third. Nordby delivered the crucial two-out hit, a three-run homer to center, to push the MSUM lead to 7-0.

The Dragons added two more runs in the fourth. York led off with a solo homer to make it 8-0. Huss reached on an error with nobody out and moved to second on a passed ball. She scored on Meeker's single to left to give the Dragons a commanding 9-0 lead after four innings.

Philadelphia scored a run in the fifth to cut the lead to 9-1, but Nybo got the final out to allow MSUM to win by the eight-run rule.

In the second game, MSUM took a 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-3 win over Ferris State, avenging a loss a day earlier to the Bulldogs.  Nordby was 1-for-2 with a homer and two RBI for MSUM, while Huss was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Annen was 2-for-4 while Fox and freshman third baseman Sydney Beck each had hits.

Nordby picked up her second win in as many days for MSUM. She went the distance and allowed three runs (two earned), striking out seven while walking six. She allowed just four hits.

MSUM got on the board in the second inning. Nordby walked and moved to second when Fox singled to center. Beck singled, and on the play, Nordby scored when the ball was misplayed in left to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead.

A three-run rally in the third proved pivotal for MSUM. Annen reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore right fielder Hannah Klug. York walked, and moments later, Annen moved to third on a wild pitch.  After a steal attempt was thrown out at second, Huss came through for MSUM with a double to score Annen, pushing the MSUM lead to 2-0.

Nordby came up with another huge two-out hit, a two-run homer to center field to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead.

Ferris State (6-20) scored twice in the fourth to cut the lead to 4-2. In the seventh, Ferris State's Sam Bates hit a solo homer to cut the Dragon lead to 4-3, but Nordby struck out Casey Bias to end the game and preserve the Dragons' 4-3 win.

MSUM, now 3-1 on its Florida trip so far, will face Minot State (nonconference) in a 3 p.m. Central time game on Monday. The Dragons will conclude the day against Bridgeport at 5 p.m.