MOORHEAD, Minn. – A six-run inning in Game 1 and an eight-run inning in Game 2 propelled the Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team to a sweep of rival Concordia College on Friday in action at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium. The scores were 11-2 and 9-1 in five innings.

MSUM has now won three games in a row. The Dragons were facing the Cobbers in softball for the first time since the 2005 season. They were also playing a home game on the Scheels Field turf for the first time in school history.
With her double in Game 2, freshman outfielder Madison Paige now has 14 doubles, tying an MSUM single-season record which was set by Leah Davis in 2004.

The Dragons smacked out 25 hits in the two games.

"It was great to host the Cobbers. It's fun since they are right down the street from MSUM," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We came out and played two complete games – we were solid on offense, defense and pitching."

In the opener, MSUM had 13 hits. Senior second baseman Jill Fox was 3-for-3 with three RBI, while sophomore shortstop Taylor Roddie was 2-for-2 with a three-run homer and three RBI. Senior first baseman Lauren Meeker was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.  Senior center fielder Carly Williamson was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Freshman left fielder Madison Paige was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Freshman Taylor Kelenic was 1-for-2 with a run scored, while senior Hannah Klug was 1-for-1 with a run. Sophomore catcher Savanah Tweet and senior third baseman Kristina Villalobos had hits while sophomore KyLee Bartholomay had an RBI.

Freshman pitcher Jordan Hall got the win, going five innings. She allowed two runs, one earned, striking out five to get the win. She allowed just two hits.

The Dragons broke the game open in the second. Meeker led off with a double. Two outs later, she scored when freshman Emma Dummer's grounder was thrown away at third. From there, the Dragons added five more runs – all with two outs.  Fox hit an RBI single to score Dummer, and then moved to second when Klug singled. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Fox scored on Williamson's RBI double. Roddie delivered the most crushing blow of the inning, a three-run homer to score Klug and Williamson, making it 6-0.

While that was more than enough run support for Hall, the Dragons added to the lead in the third as Fox hit an RBI single to score Tweet, who had reached on a fielder's choice. The Dragons put the game out of reach in the fourth. Kelenic led off with a single and moved to third on a double by Roddie. Paige singled up the middle to score both runners. Fox hit another RBI single to score Meeker, who had singled earlier in the year. Bartholomay's walk forced in a run to make it 11-0.

A two-run homer in the fifth spoiled the shutout hopes for Hall and MSUM, but Hall got out of the inning and MSUM had won by the eight-run rule.

In the second game, Fox was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Roddie was 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI. Villalobos was 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI while Williamson was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Paige was 2-for-3 with a double while junior catcher Megan Asham was 2-for-2 with a run scored and RBI. Meeker was also 1-for-2.
Freshman Becky Volkert got the win for MSUM, going five innings. She allowed four hits and one earned run, striking out a career-high eight.

Villalobos got the Dragons on the board with a solo homer in the second. Concordia answered with a solo homer in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1.

The Dragons busted the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth.  Fox reached on a single, and Villalobos's grounder was thrown away at third, with both runners safe. Asham reached on a bunt single to load the bases. A lineout to third turned into a double play as Fox was doubled up at third. Williamson singled to shortstop to load the bases. Roddie came up with another clutch two-out hit, a three-run double to right center to make it 4-1. Paige's fly ball was dropped behind second, allowing Roddie to score with the Dragons' fifth run.

Meeker singled, and freshman Payton Gaber was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fox had a two-run double to right to score two more runners, while Villalobos and Asham came up with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 9-1.

That was more than enough for Volkert who picked up her fourth win of the year.

MSUM hosts Upper Iowa for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday. That game will be played at the MSUM Softball Field.