MANKATO, Minn. – MSU Moorhead softball began their NSIC schedule in style in a pair of victories over Minnesota State on Friday.
 
The Dragons trailed by seven runs early in game one, but would rally for an 8-7 win. In game two, MSUM would win 3-2 behind a game-winning homer from Eliya Johnson in the fifth inning. For MSUM, it is the first regular season series sweep of the Mavericks since the 1982 season. 
 
Game One
 
Minnesota State would gain an early advantage in the home half of the opening frame. Dragon starter Eliya Johnson would surrender a one-out triple which would eventually lead to a Maverick run. The home club would go on to load the bases later in the inning with another run coming in on a hit by pitch. By the end of the inning, Minnesota State had brought around six runs on four hits. MSUM was held hitless through the first two innings. 
 
The Mavericks would strike again in the second inning as they would score an additional run on a pair of hits. For the home team, it would provide them a 7-0 cushion heading into the third frame. Olivia Goderis would score MSUM's first hit in the top of the third inning with a single. The Dragons would rally with no outs as Chloe Makinney would reach on a Maverick error which sent Goderis to second base. Another error in the ensuing at-bat would provide MSUM its first run with still no one out. 
 
Evey Evans would step to the plate in the next at-bat and drive in a pair of runs for the Dragons. Evans scored both Makinney and Eliyah McCarthy to make the score 7-3 in favor of Minnesota State. For the senior, it was her 10^th and 11^th RBIs of the season. The Dragons would stay on the offensive as Lizzy Davis earned a single to put runners at the corners with no one out. The senior Johnson would then step up and smash a three-run tater to make it a one-run contest as the Dragons now trailed 7-6. It was Johnson's first dinger of the year and gave her 10 RBIs for the year. 
 
Kaelyn Leverson would come in the bottom of the third and pitch a scoreless half for MSUM. This included a strikeout for the senior, who only gave up one hit in the frame. In the top of the fourth, MSUM had an opportunity to tie the game as McCarthy and Evans would reach base on singles. Davis would single with two outs, but McCarthy would be out attempting to score the tying run to end the inning. Leverson would keep the Mavs off the scoreboard in the home half. 
 
MSUM would threaten again in the fifth inning as Mack Gallagher would reach base on a single. Ella Holiman would pinch run for Gallagher as Azalya Lopez would single in the next at-bat to push Holiman into scoring position with one out. Annika Norman would load the bases with a single of her own in the ensuing at-bat. Minnesota State would then walk home a run as the Dragons tied the contest at seven runs each.
 
Makinney would give MSUM its first lead of the contest with a single later in the inning which drove in Lopez. Heading into the home half of the fifth, the Dragons led 8-7 after trailing 7-0 in the second inning. Teagan Clemmons would come on to pitch in the  fifth inning and limit the Mavericks to just one hit in the inning. Clemmons would set Minnesota State down in order in the bottom of the sixth to preserve the one-run lead. 
 
While the freshman would give up a leadoff double to begin the bottom of the seventh, Lopez would come on to try and shut the door. The sophomore earned back-to-back strikeouts to give MSUM an 8-7 win. 
 
Game Two
 
The Dragons would continue to find answers against the Maverick pitchers to begin game two as MSUM would plate a pair of runs in the first inning. MSUM would gain four hits in the inning led by RBIs from Gallagher and Lopez to lead 2-0. Lopez would begin the game in the circle for MSUM and would hold the Mavs scoreless in the home half. Minnesota State would cut the Dragon lead in half in the second inning on an RBI double. 
 
From there, Lopez would settle in and pitch a hitless bottom of the third with the score still at 2-1. The sophomore would twirl four innings as the starter with five hits surrendered and three strikeouts. Minnesota State would even the count at two runs each in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run. 
 
Luckily for the Dragons, Eliya Johnson would immediately respond in the top of the fifth with a solo home run, her second of the day. The shot would put MSUM back in front by a score of 3-2. Clemmons would relieve Lopez in the home half and would set the Mavericks down in order. In the bottom of the sixth, Clemmons would work out a jam to leave a pair of Mavericks stranded to keep MSUM in front. 
 
In the final frame, MSUM would put a pair of runners on with two outs as Johnson and Lopez would work out a pair of walks. However, MSUM would not be able to push an insurance run across as the Dragons looked to complete the sweep in the bottom of the seventh. Clemmons would pitch a stellar final half inning as she would retire three straight Mavericks. The freshman would earn a strikeout to open the inning before collecting a pair of groundouts to secure victory. 
 
Up Next
 
MSUM (15-9, 2-0 NSIC) will now travel to Northfield, Minn., to take on Augustana in a doubleheader which will begin at 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.