MOORHEAD, Minn. — Despite recording 23 hits in the two games, the Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team fell in a home doubleheader to Wayne State on Friday, losing by scores of 8-7 and 5-1.

The Dragons had the 23 hits, but also left 20 runners on in the twin bill, including 11 in Game 1 and nine in Game 2.

In the opening game, sophomore shortstop Taylor Roddie was 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBI.  Senior first baseman Lauren Meeker was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI while senior center fielder Carly Williamson was 2-for-4 with three runs scored.  Senior right fielder Hannah Klug was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. Sophomore catcher Savanah Tweet was 2-for-4 as well while freshman Emma Dummer was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Freshman designated hitter Payton Gaber, sophomore left fielder Aunica Novacek and senior second baseman Jill Fox had hits for MSUM, which had a 16-10 edge in that category.

Freshman pitcher Jordan Hall started and went five innings, allowing five earned runs. She struck out six and received a no-decision. Freshman Tori White took the loss, allowing three runs, all unearned. She struck out two.

Wayne State led 3-0 after 2 1/2 innings.  MSUM tied the game in the third. Williamson reached on a bunt single, and Roddie followed with a single. One out later, Meeker doubled to right to score both runners and cut the lead to 3-2. Later in the inning, Dummer's RBI single scored freshman outfielder Taylor Kelenic, who was pinch running for Meeker, to tie the game at 3-3.

MSUM took the lead in the fourth, thanks to an RBI single from Meeker, which scored Williamson. The Dragons loaded the bases with one out but left all three runners on base.

A two-run homer by Jordan Breitbarth in the fifth put the Wildcats up 5-4. The Dragons responded in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Klug tripled. Williamson walked, and Roddie followed with a triple to right to score both runners. Roddie would also score on the play as Wayne State did not get the throw into home, making it 7-5 MSUM.

That lead stood until the seventh, when Wayne State loaded the bases with nobody out. The Dragons got a fielder's choice to force out a runner at home. On the next play, a throwing error allowed two runs to score to tie the game, and moments later, a sac fly put the Wildcats in front.

MSUM put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to get the tying run across.

"We had a great chance to take that first game and we were just unable to finish the win off," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "In both games we did a good job of getting runners on and in scoring position but in the end we left too many runners stranded on base."

In the second game, Klug was 2-for-2, while Gaber was 2-for-4 with a double. Fox was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Tweet and Novacek had hits for MSUM.

Freshman Becky Volkert took the loss for MSUM, going five innings. She allowed two runs, both earned, striking out three while walking none. Hall came in relief and pitched two innings, allowing three earned runs.

The Dragons fell behind 2-0 after five innings, and a three-run homer by Katelyn Woken in the sixth put the Wildcats up 5-1.  MSUM's run scored in the bottom of the sixth when Fox's RBI groundout scored Kelenic, who was pinch-running for Tweet, who had singled to lead off the inning.  But the Dragons would get no closer and fell by four.

MSUM hosts Augustana at noon on Saturday in another NSIC doubleheader.