SIOUX CITY, Iowa – MSU Moorhead picked up a full weekend sweep thanks to another two wins over the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon from historic Hubbard Park.

MSUM controlled the first game, winning 4-3, but action picked up in game two. For the second time in as many games, the Dragons needed extra innings to collect the win. MSUM beat the Cougars 5-4 in 10 innings after an Eliya Johnson home run to centerfield.
 
Game One
 
Both teams remained relatively dormant in the first two innings with both starting pitchers starting their day strong. Eliya Johnson started for the second time this weekend and put in a solid effort in the circle. Johnson pitched four shutout innings, only giving up three Cougar hits and fanning one batter. MSUM would provide the first offense of the game with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Mack Gallgher scored Evey Evans on an RBI double to open the scoring with Johnson and Jordey Smith tallying RBIs in the frame. 

Sioux Falls would be held scoreless until the top of the sixth where the Cougars would bring around three runs to keep the Dragons honest. Leading 4-3 heading into the top of the seventh, the Dragons turned to the arm of Evey Evans to close things down. The junior tossed an inning and a third and only gave up one hit to the five batters she faced. Of those five batters, three were out on pop-flys. Thanks to the strong start from Johnson and the releif work of Evans, the Dragons held on 4-3.
 
Game Two
 
MSUM would once again be the aggressors offensively in game two, scoing two quick runs in the bottom of the first. Gallagher drove home a run with Azalya Lopez later scoring Gallagher in the frame. Sioux Falls would provide a game response, scoring three runs of their own in the top of the second thanks to a pair of RBI singles. The Cougars would get another run in the top of the third on a Dragon error. Eliya Johnson would cut the lead in half thanks to an RBI single which scored Lizzy Davis. Trailing 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth, MSUM utilized a sacrifice fly from Mack Gallagher to tie the ballgame. 

Both teams would go cold offensively through regulation as the game moved into extra innings. It was the second extra innings game for the Dragons, having beaten Southwest Minnesota State in extras yesterday. MSUM came the closest to victory in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with no outs. However, the Dragons would fall victim to a double play later in the inning and could not bring the winning run around.

In the bottom of the tenth, with both teams worn down from the sun and wind swirling around Hubbard Park, Eliya Johnson stepped to the plate with no one on base and one out. Johnson connected on a pitch that shot off the bat like a cannon, carrying to deep centerfield and landing over the fence. The homer was Johnson's third of the year and capped a tremendous day all-around for her and the Dragons. MSUM took the game 5-4 in 10 innings. 
 
Up Next
 
MSUM (21-7, 9-2 NSIC) will take on the University of Mary on Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m. Schedule adjustments are likely to this doubleheader, however. Stay tuned to msumdragons.com and our social media channels for updates as they become official.