WINONA, Minn. – In a battle of two top teams in the NSIC, Winona State won two one-run games over MSU Moorhead on Saturday afternoon.
MSUM dropped both games to the Warriors, losing 5-4 in game one and 3-2 in game two.
Game One
The Dragons would strike early against the Warriors thanks to an RBI single from
Azalya Lopez in the top of the first inning. The hit brought in
Jordey Smith to give MSUM a 1-0 lead. The Warriors would match that in the home half of the second inning to knot the score. MSUM would take advantage once again in the next half inning thanks to fielder's choice that scored Smith once again.
Winona State would not respond until the bottom of the sixth inning as they would plate four runs on a home run, a double and a two RBI single. The 5-2 lead gave the Warriors a jolt heading into the final frame. With three outs left to give, MSUM battled to score two runs on a pair of walks as
Avery Steffen and
Lizzy Davis would earn RBIs. That would be all the Dragons could muster as their comeback attempt would fall short with the Warriors taking the first game, 5-4.
Game Two
MSUM would once again be the aggressors early in the contest as
Eliya Johnson opened up the scoring with a two-run home run. The bomb was Johnson's fifth of the season and it also drove in
Mack Gallagher, who had singled earlier in the inning. Winona State would split that lead in half in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly. The Warriors would tie the game at two runs apiece following a wild pitch from
Azalya Lopez.
Winona State would break the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to an RBI double to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead. MSUM would have a shot to break that lead in the top of the seventh inning.
Evey Evans would double in the inning and move to third base on a sacrifice bunt from
Teagan Pranchke. With Evans on third and two outs,
Jordey Smith would go down swinging to Winona State's Abbie Hlas, who pitched a complete game for the Warriors with seven strikeouts.
Up Next
MSUM (28-14, 16-8 NSIC) completes its regular season tomorrow afternoon in Fayette, Iowa, against Upper Iowa. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
