CLERMONT, Fla. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team lost a pair of close nonconference games on Monday in Clermont, Fla. MSUM fell to Franklin Pierce, 3-2 and to Wayne State (Mich.), 4-2.
MSUM is now 4-8 on the season.
"We have to work on stringing hits together to score more runs," MSUM head coach
Kelsey Fehl said. "Our pitching has been solid and our defense is improving. Now it's a matter of developing some consistency at the plate."
Against Franklin Pierce, junior left fielder
Carly Williamson was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while junior designated hitter
Kristina Villalobos had a homer. Senior pitcher
Kristen Nordby was 2-for-2 while senior left fielder
Kristy Bruni was 1-for-3. Freshman third baseman
Morgan Anderson scored a run.
Nordby took the loss on the mound for MSUM, going 2.1 innings. She allowed five hits and three runs (two earned), striking out two and walking one. Redshirt freshman
Gabby Williams was solid in relief, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings and striking out one.
The Dragons led 1-0 after Villalobos hit a solo homer to lead off the second. Franklin Pierce took the lead with three runs in the third, one of which was unearned.
MSUM cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth. Anderson reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior right fielder
Hannah Klug. Williamson singled to score Anderson, cutting the lead to 3-2. MSUM had the tying run on base in both the fifth and sixth innings but was unable to get runs across.
Against Wayne State, Nordby was 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI. Freshman shortstop
Taylor Roddie was 2-for-3 while freshman right fielder
KyLee Bartholomay and Bruni were each 1-for-3.
Senior pitcher
Morgan Nybo took the loss for MSUM, going seven innings. She allowed four earned runs and 13 hits, striking out three while walking three.
Wayne State took the lead with a three-run second inning, and added another run in the fourth to make it 4-0.
The Dragons cut the lead in half in the sixth. With one out, junior second baseman
Jill Fox walked. Nordby followed with a two-run homer to make it 4-2.
Bruni followed with a single, and one out later, Roddie singled. However, the Dragons were unable to get any more runs across and fell two runs short.
MSUM is off on Tuesday before resuming with games against Southern New Hampshire and Philadelphia.
