ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team smacked out 17 hits in the doubleheader, but lost a pair of tough games to Northern State on Thursday, falling to the Wolves 6-2 and 3-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action in Aberdeen, S.D.

MSUM fell to 11-23 with the losses while Northern State improved to 26-16.

In the opening game, junior right fielder Kristy Bruni was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while sophomore left fielder Carly Williamson was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.  Senior center fielder Mollie Annen was 1-for-3 with a double while sophomore Hannah Klug, senior catcher Brittany York, sophomore third baseman Kristina Villalobos and sophomore second baseman Katelyn Ramberg all had hits for the Dragons, who left seven runners on base.

The Dragons got on the board first in the second inning. With one out, Bruni and Villalobos hit back-to-back singles, and one out later, Bruni scored on an RBI double by Williamson to make it 1-0.

The Wolves responded with four runs in the bottom of the second against Dragon starter Morgan Nybo, with the big hit being a grand slam by Liebl. MSUM got a run back in the third. York singled with nobody out, and senior Rachel Sannicandro pinch-ran for her. Sannicandro stole second, and two outs later, Bruni singled to right to score her, bringing MSUM within 4-2.

Northern responded with two more runs to make it 6-2 in the bottom of the third and the Dragons were unable to make a dent in the lead after that.

Nybo took the loss for MSUM, allowing six earned runs in six innings. She struck out one and walked two.

In the second game, junior pitcher Kristen Nordby was 2-for-3 with a homer and an RBI, while York was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Annen was 2-for-4 with a run scored while Huss, Sannicandro, Villalobos and Williamson all had hits for the Dragons, who had a 9-5 edge in hits.
Nordby took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings. She struck out three and walked four.

MSUM led 1-0 after the second inning as Nordby hit a solo homer. Northern answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 1-1.

The Dragons regained the lead in the fifth. Annen singled, and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Klug. York doubled to right-center to score Annen, giving MSUM a 2-1 lead.

Northern State scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead.

MSUM had two runners on in the sixth but a strikeout ended the threat.

The Dragons return home for two doubleheaders this weekend, starting on Saturday against Upper Iowa.  The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. at the MSUM Softball Field.