TUCSON, Ariz. – MSU Moorhead softball would open play at the D2 Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday, dropping their first two contests by a combined two runs.
MSUM fell in game one of the afternoon to San Francisco State, 4-3 before falling to Nebraska-Kearney 8-7 to close day one.
Dragons 3, Gators 4
MSUM would be the team to break the scoreless the tie in the second inning as freshman
Sam Centeno would crush her first home run of the season. The solo shot would place the Dragons in front by a run early as
Azalya Lopez looked to keep that lead in the circle. Lopez would pitch two and a third scoreless innings for MSUM before surrendering three runs in the bottom of the third. San Francisco State would earn three runs on a pair of singles in the frame.
The Gators would add to that lead in the fourth inning on an RBI double off Lopez. While
Lizzy Davis would work out a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, MSUM was unable to get any runs across to cut into the deficit. The Dragons would show some life in the final inning as Lopez would earn a one-out walk.
Olivia Goderis would push Lopez into scoring position on a single. The smack from Goderis was just MSUM's third hit of the ballgame to that point. Centeno would load the bases with a walk as
Annika Norman stepped to the plate as the go-ahead run.
Norman would drive in Lopez on a sacrifice fly as
Chloe Makinney stepped up hoping to put the score even closer. The true freshman would smash a ground-rule double to drive in Goderis and push pinch runner
Grace Oeltjen to third base. Trailing 4-3 with a runner on third, it was Davis who stepped in hopes of tying the game. Unfortunately for MSUM, Davis would fly out, preserving the 4-3 Gator lead. Mari Takeda Bajan was strong for the Gators in the circle, tossing six and a third and only allowing two hits to MSUM.
Dragons 7, Lopers 8
Full box score will be provided as it becomes available.
Up Next
MSUM (4-2) is back on the Lincoln Park field in Tucson tomorrow with games scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. against San Francisco State and Hawai'i-Hilo.