MINOT, N.D. – MSU Moorhead softball would use stingy pitching and defense to pick up two more wins to close out the Minot State Bubble Invite.
The Dragons won the first game over the University of Providence, 5-4. MSUM would close the tournament with a 2-0 victory in a non-conference game against Minot State.
Dragons 5, Argos 4
Evey Evans would help put the Dragons up by a run in the first inning as the senior would make it to third base following a walk before
Azalya Lopez would double in Evans.
Teagan Pranchke would get the Dragon offense started in the top of the second inning as she would earn a single. Pranchke would eventually score an unearned run in the inning as Evans would collect an RBI on a groundout.
Providence would claim a 3-2 lead in the third inning as they would get three hits on Dragon starter
Teagan Clemmons. MSUM would even the game in the top of the fourth inning as a leadoff double from
Lizzy Davis gave the Dragons a baserunner.
Mack Gallagher would eventually score Davis on a sacrifice fly.
The score would remain tied as the teams headed into the final inning. In the top of the seventh, Evans would work out a leadoff walk before Gallagher doubled to put both herself and Evans in scoring position.
Azalya Lopez would step to the plate and bring Evans in on a sacrifice fly to put MSUM in front 4-3. In the next at-bat,
Olivia Goderis would smack a double to score
Ella Holiman, who was pinch running for Gallagher. MSUM would lead 5-3 heading into the final half inning.
Evans would put the finishing touches on the game in the seventh despite giving up a run to the Argos. MSUM would survive 5-4 despite having four less hits than Providence. Evans would pitch two innings for MSUM with a strikeout to earn her first save of the year.
Dragons 2, Beavers 0
After struggling to get runs across in game one of the afternoon, MSUM would see a run across in the first inning against Minot State.
Avery Steffen would reach on an error to begin the inning before
Mack Gallagher drove Steffen in on a sacrifice fly. The Dragons would bring another run across in the second inning on another Beaver error.
Sam Centeno reached on the error as MSUM would load the bases as
Annika Norman and
Lizzy Davis each found a bag. Steffen would single in Centeno to put the Dragons up 2-0.
Azalya Lopez would pitch three scoreless innings to begin the contest for MSUM, only surrendering two hits while striking out four Beavers.
Lopez would eventually hurl five shutout innings for MSUM to preserve the 2-0 lead. The sophomore would strike out seven batters before
Avery Steffen entered the circle to try and close the game. Steffen would dazzle in two innings of work as she would not allow a hit while fanning six Beavers. The junior would earn the save after striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Up Next
MSUM (4-0) now looks towards the D2 Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz., where the Dragons will play seven games across four days.
