CLERMONT, Fla. – A solid pitching outing by freshman Becky Berth and a key two-run single by sophomore Madison Paige hit a key two-run single to help the Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team rally for a 5-4 win over Assumption College on Friday in Clermont, Fla. The victory gave MSUM (7-11) a split on the day as the Dragons lost to Quincy University 14-7 earlier in the day.

MSUM finished its Florida trip with a solid 6-4 record.

"Overall we were pretty happy with the trip," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "It was nice to win some close games and we saw a lot of good things out of this young team."

Sophomore outfielder Madison Paige was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Junior shortstop Taylor Roddie was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Sophomore third baseman Emma Dummer and sophomore designated hitter Payton Gaber were each 1-for-4 with an RBI. Freshman outfielder Elizabeth Johnson was 1-for-3 with two runs scored while freshman pitcher Becky Berth was  1-for-3 with a run scored.  Junior second baseman Lexie Kennedy was 1-for-4.

Berth improved to 6-4 on the season with another complete game on the mound. She allowed four runs, only one earned, striking out two while walking two. She retired the last nine batters she faced.

MSUM trailed 1-0 but an RBI single by Dummer in the second tied the game at 1-1. The Dragons took the lead in the third when Gaber's RBI groundout scored Johnson, who had singled.

Assumption scored the next three runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Dragons responded in the fifth. Berth led off with a single, and Johnson walked. Roddie doubled to score Berth and advance Johnson to third. One out later, Paige singled to score Roddie and Johnson, giving MSUM a 5-4 lead.

Berth made it stand, allowing only one baserunner over the final three innings.

"The second game was another gritty win," Fehl said. "We got down by a few runs and then strung some hits together and buckled down on defense. Becky threw a good game as well."

In the loss to Quincy, sophomore designated hitter Taylor Kelenic was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Roddie was 2-for-4 with an RBI while Aunica Novacek, Emma Dummer and Lexie Kennedy each had a hit and an RBI. Gaber was 1-for-1 with a run scored while McCance was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Gaber took the loss, allowing five earned runs in one-plus innings. Sophomore Tori White finished the game, going six innings and allowing seven earned runs.

MSUM led 3-1 after the first, thanks to RBI from Kennedy and Novacek, but Quincy answered with six runs in the second to take a 7-3 lead.  In the second, Kelenic ripped an RBI double and Roddie an RBI single to bring MSUM within 7-5.

A five-run fifth inning, which included a grand slam, helped Quincy build a 12-5 lead.  Dummer had an RBI double as part of a two-run sixth but MSUM got no closer.

MSUM is off until March 27 when it hosts Northern State for a doubleheader to open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.