MOORHEAD, Minn. – MSU Moorhead surrendered just nine hits across two games, including a game two shutout, to suffocate Concordia-St. Paul in a Monday afternoon twinbill sweep from SCHEELS Field.
 
MSUM used a pair of late runs to take game one 3-2 as the Dragons would run rule the Golden Bears 8-0 in six innings to close the day. 
 
Game One
 
Concordia-St. Paul would plate two runs in the third inning thanks an RBI double and ground out. To that point in the game, Dragon pitcher Eliya Johnson had only given up three Golden Bear hits with one strikeout. Taking a 2-0 lead into the fourth inning, the Golden Bears would keep the Dragons at bay as MSUM would only cut the lead in half in the home half of the third. Jordey Smith picked up her seventh RBI in her last two games to score Evey Evans. Through five innings, the Dragons only mustered just five hits on Concordia-St. Paul's Bryanna Olson, who was sharp in the circle all game. 

The tide turned in the sixth inning as MSUM would gain a baserunner in the frame thanks to a walk from Annika Norman. In the ensuing at-bat, Avery Steffen hit a routine fly ball to right field that fell from the mit of the Golden Bears fielder. The error put both Steffen and pinch runner Eliyah McCarthy (running for Norman) in scoring position. Evey Evans would then hit a sharp single to score them both as the Dragons took advantage of the scoreboard 3-2. Evans would do what she does best in the final frame: slamming the door on the opposition. Evans limited the Golden Bears to two hits and struck out one batter to earn the save.
 
Game Two
 
The third inning would be a popular one for the Dragons all day as Avery Steffen and Evey Evans combined for three RBIs in the home half of the inning to give the Dragons an early 3-0 lead. Azalya Lopez would pitch a solid game for MSUM, only giving up three hits to Concordia-St. Paul in four innings of work. In the fourth inning, MSUM would score three more runs thanks to an RBI single from Mack Gallagher which scored Jordey Smith. Eliya Johnson would then step to the plate and hit a two-run dinger to straightaway center field to push MSUM in front 6-0. 

Avery Steffen would close out the game in the circle for MSUM as the sophomore would not surrender a hit and struck out two Golden Bears. Lopez would knock in a run on a fielder's choice in the fifth and MSUM would load the bases in hopes of closing the game early in the sixth. Jordey Smith singled in the game-winning run to put the finishing touches on the 8-0 run rule win. 
 
Up Next
 
MSUM (27-11, 15-5 NSIC) is right back at it tomorrow afternoon with a scheduled doubleheader against Minot State. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. from SCHEELS Field.