MARYVILLE, Mo. – Following a pair of tough losses on Friday, MSU Moorhead softball responded with an impressive sweep of Northwest Missouri State on Saturday.
MSUM would win the first game 5-1 and would sweep the Bearcats with a 9-3 victory in game two.
Game One
After struggling from the plate on Friday afternoon, MSUM did not waste time in returning to form with their bats.
Evey Evans led off the game with a single and would eventually advance to third base on a Bearcat error with one down. With two outs,
Azalya Lopez would drive Evans in with a single to put MSUM up one run. In the ensuing at-bat,
Annika Norman would grab an RBI of her own on a single that scored
Eliya Johnson.
The Dragons were not done there as they continued to look sharp offensively in the second frame.
Chloe Makinney singled to start the inning and would later score on another Northwest Missouri State error later in the frame.
Lizzy Davis would also cross home on an RBI single from Johnson as MSUM led 4-0 heading into the home half. Dragon starter
Kaelyn Leverson was sharp through two innings of work, surrendering four hits in 10 batters faced. Leverson would give up a run in the bottom of the second to put the score at 4-1.
Both teams settled in a bit from there as neither team would earn a hit in the third inning.
Teagan Clemmons would come on in relief of Leverson in the third and would earn a one, two, three home half. Clemmons continued to retire Bearcats in the fourth as she would set Northwest Missouri State down in order.
The Bearcats would get to Clemmons in the fifth inning, earning three hits to load the bases with two down. Lopez would enter the circle to keep the home squad off the scoreboard. The sophomore would earn a clutch strikeout as the Dragons remained in front by three runs. Lopez would close the sixth inning with another strikeout to keep the score idle heading into the final frame.
Davis would get on base in the top of the seventh and would move into scoring position with one out after Johnson walked. The Dragons would load the bases after another Bearcat error in the next at-bat. With one out, Lopez would drive Davis in with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to four runs.
Northwest Missouri State would have one final shot as Lopez surrendered a single with one out. Closer
Evey Evans would come on for Lopez in the next at-bat, but the Bearcats would eventually load the bases with two outs. With the tying run at the plate, Evans reared back and collected a game-saving strikeout to solidify a 5-1 Dragons win. Northwest Missouri State committed five total errors in the game while MSUM was clean in the field.
Game Two
The Dragons would jump out to a quick six run lead in the first inning of game two as MSUM would showcase some plate discipline. Northwest Missouri State would walk seven straight Dragon batters, resulting in four runs for MSUM. The Dragons would grab two more runs in the frame on an RBI fielder's choice from Makinney and an RBI ground out from
Eliyah McCarthy. MSUM led 6-0 through one half inning despite not registering a hit in the frame. The Bearcats would dip into the lead with a run in the home half.
MSUM would remain on top entering the third inning as Norman led off the frame with a single. Norman would advance to third on a sacrifice bunt from
Olivia Goderis and a wild pitch. The freshman Makinney would add to the Dragon lead thanks to an RBI single which drove in Norman.
Northwest Missouri State would continue to subtly cut into the lead with one run in the bottom of the fourth as MSUM would lead 7-2.
Teagan Clemmons would come on to relieve starter
Eliya Johnson in the fourth as the Bearcats loaded the bases. The freshman would tally back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam. Johnson gave up five hits in 16 batters faced in the starting role.
Clemmons would continue to stave off a home team flurry in the fifth as she would give up another run but would eventually leave two Bearcats stranded. Through five frames, MSUM still remained in front 7-3 despite Northwest Missouri State having three more hits than the Dragons. The Dragons would get two baserunners on in the top of the sixth as Evans singled before Davis reached on an error. However, both would be left stranded as MSUM could not capitalize. Clemmons would need just six pitches to retire the Bearcats in the bottom half.
In the final inning, MSUM would get runners on second and third with two outs as Norman would grab another single.
Grace Oeltjen would pinch run and promptly steal second base. The Bearcats walked
Ella Holiman in the next at-bat with both baserunners advancing again in the next at-bat. Makinney would tally her fourth RBI of the game with a single which scored both Oeltjen and Holiman. MSUM would lead 9-3 with only three outs needed for a series sweep. After giving up a leadoff double, Clemmons would shut the game down, retiring three straight Bearcats.
Up Next
The Dragons (13-9) have now concluded the non-conference portion of the 2024 season. MSUM will open NSIC play on Saturday, March 23 in a road doubleheader against Minnesota State which is slated to begin at noon.
