WAYNE, Neb. – MSU Moorhead sophomore Mack Gallagher would smash a pair of homers to help the Dragons split with Wayne State in a Friday afternoon NSIC doubleheader.
 
The Wildcats won game one on a walk-off home run, 4-2. MSUM would respond with a 10-7 win over Wayne State in game two. 
 
Game One
 
MSUM would almost immediately threaten in the top of the first inning as Lizzy Davis would get into scoring position with a one-out double to left field. Mack Gallagher would follow suit with two down as she would double to drive in Davis and give MSUM a quick 1-0 lead. For Gallagher, it was her 17^th RBI of the season. Azalya Lopez would start in the circle for MSUM and retired the side in the first, including one strikeout. 
 
Annika Norman would earn a single with one out in the second inning to give MSUM another base runner, leading by one run. Norman would remain on first base as the Dragons were unable to bring another run around in the frame. Lopez would set the Wildcats down in order again in the second with two more strikeouts. The sophomore would sling another hitless inning in the bottom of the third.
 
Lopez would find herself in a jam in the bottom of the fourth as the Wildcats earned their first hit of the ballgame on a leadoff single. Wayne State would move runners into scoring position at second and third with no one out. The home team would tie the game with a line out that pushed across the runner from third base. Lopez would end the inning with her sixth strikeout of the game, keeping the score tied at one run.
 
Olivia Goderis would earn a one-out single in the next half inning to provide MSUM some life on the base paths. Goderis would move into scoring position following a sacrifice bunt, which gave the Dragons two outs in the inning. Davis would walk in the next at-bat to put two on with two outs. Unfortunately for MSUM, neither runner would break the gridlock as the Wildcats would get out of the frame unscathed. The teams would remain tied through five innings as Lopez would earn a quick three outs following a leadoff walk.
 
Lopez would draw a walk of her own with one out in the top of the sixth before Evey Evans moved her into scoring position on a single. In the next at-bat, Norman would notch a single of her own which would drive Lopez home and provide MSUM a 2-1 lead. Evans and Norman would move to third and second base respectively on another sacrifice bunt. However, MSUM would not bring another runner across, but would still lead 2-1.
 
In the home half of the sixth inning, Lopez would rally after surrendering two hits to the Wildcats. The sophomore would conclude the frame without surrendering a run, capping the inning with her ninth strikeout of the game. MSUM would threaten again in the top of the seventh as Chloe Makinney would make her way to third base to begin the inning. With two outs, MSUM would load the bases as Gallagher and Lopez would draw walks. Again, the Dragons would not take advantage, stranding all three runners to keep the score at 2-1. 
 
With three outs needed for victory, Lopez would continue her quest for a complete game in the final half inning. Lopez would give up a leadoff walk before downing two straight Wildcats. Wayne State would then even the count on an RBI single before winning the game on a walk-off two-run home run, taking the game 4-2. 
 
Game Two
 
MSUM would load the bases in the top of the first inning in hopes of building an early advantage following the game one loss. Makinney and Eliyah McCarthy would each earn RBIs in the frame to put the Dragons up 2-0. However, the Dragons would strand a pair on base to end the inning. Norman would leadoff the top of the third inning with a single and would eventually be brought around thanks to an RBI groundout from Hannah Losee. 
 
Dragon starter Teagan Clemmons would pitch a hitless first two innings before surrendering her first hit in the home half of the third. Unfortunately for the freshman, that hit happened to be a solo home run to bring the score to 3-1 in favor of the Dragons. Wayne State would hold the Dragons hitless in the fourth and would score again on an RBI double to make the count 3-2. 
 
In the top of the fifth inning, MSUM would showcase some power as Norman would find base again on a Wildcat error. In the ensuing at-bat, Makinney would smack her first home run of the year over the right field fence to push the Dragon lead to 5-2. Clemmons would twirl a hitless home half to keep the score as is heading into the sixth inning. 
 
MSUM's power would be on display again in the top of the sixth as Gallagher would send a two-run shot to left field. Gallagher, who did not start the game, was pinch hitting when the blast occurred. The Dragons would tack on another run as Norman and Makinney would each single before McCarthy would drive Norman across to make the score 8-2 in favor of MSUM. Clemmons would run into trouble in the home half of the sixth as the Wildcats would again rally in the late innings. The freshman would surrender a pair of runs before Reece Dahl entered the contest. 
 
Dahl would give up another pair of runs in the frame as Wayne State would come within one run, 8-7, heading into the final inning. Needing some sort of insurance in the top of the seventh, it was Gallagher who answered the call once again. As Lopez would double with one out, Gallagher would hit her second home run of the game, making the score 10-7 in favor of MSUM. The sophomore has now hit three dingers in her last three games after not homering throughout MSUM's first 31 contests. 
 
Evey Evans would come on to shut the game down in the seventh and would earn two quick outs before giving up a single. However, Evans only needed three pitches in the final at-bat to earn a ground out to secure a 10-7 Dragon win. The senior earned her second save of the year in the win. 
 
Up Next
 
MSUM (19-15, 6-6 NSIC) turns right around and plays a doubleheader with Sioux Falls tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. from the Sanford Sports Complex.