ROCHESTER, Minn. – MSU Moorhead and Winona State combined for 30 hits and 21 total runs, but the third-seeded Warriors got the better of the sixth-seeded Dragons to open the NSIC Tournament. The game was MSUM's first postseason contest since May 3, 2008.
 
MSUM will turn around and play Sioux Falls in hopes of keeping their season alive. While the game is scheduled for 4 p.m., it will most likely begin around 6 or 6:30 p.m. as a game has to be played before the Dragons take on the Cougars. 
 
MSUM would strike first as Lizzy Davis would get the first hit of the ballgame on a single. Eliya Johnson would step to the plate and smack a double to left field. The strike scored Davis all the way from first base to put the Dragons up 1-0. Winona State would respond immediately in the next half inning with an RBI single on MSUM starter Azalya Lopez. However, Lopez would bounce back from the early run and collect a strikeout to strand a Warrior in scoring position. 
 
Avery Steffen would lead off the second inning with a double in the gap with the sophomore advancing to third on an Evey Evans single. Yet, MSUM would be unable to push across any runs, leaving both Steffen and Evans in scoring position. The Warriors would take advantage, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead through two frames. 
 
MSUM would cut the lead to one run in the third thanks to Mack Gallagher's 11^th home run of the season. The freshman connected on a ball and sent it over the left field fence and would drive in her 50^th run of the year. Winona State would score in the bottom of the inning, but Avery Steffen would work out of a bases loaded jam to limit any further runs. 
 
Winona State would leverage a three-run home run to spark a four-run fourth inning to take a commanding 8-2 lead. MSUM would respond with four runs of their own in the top of the fifth. Three of those runs came thanks to a pinch hit three-run double by Kiley Washnieski. Jordey Smith would drive Washnieski in to cut the Winona State lead to 8-7. 
 
As was the case for most of the game, Winona State answered once again in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs to put the score at 10-7. The Warriors would tack on two more in the bottom of the sixth inning. 
 
With three outs to give, MSUM would battle as Teagan Pranchke would drive in a run on a double while Jordey Smith drove in another run on a ground out. That would be all MSUM could manage. Both teams combined for 30 hits as Winona State would take the game 12-9.