JAMESTOWN, N.D. – MSU Moorhead softball picked up a pair of NSIC wins on Thursday. The Dragons defeated the Mary Marauders in a neutral site affair.
The Dragons won game one 4-3 before completing the sweep with an 8-5 win in game two.
Game One
Both teams would remain silent on the scoreboard across the first two frames before Mary opened the game up. The Marauders plated three runs on three hits and a pair of MSUM errors to lead 3-0. In the home half,
Teagan Clemmons earned the first Dragon hit of the morning on a single but would not come around to score.
It was not until the fifth inning where MSUM's offense began to make a serious impact.
Eliya Johnson would lead off the frame with a double, eventually moving to third base on a wild pitch. Johnson would later score after
Hailey Thurber brought home the run on a fielder's choice.
MSUM would continue that momentum in the sixth inning as
Avery Steffen led off the inning with a triple. Steffen would score in the next at-bat off a sacrifice fly from
Natalie Gonzalez to bring the Dragons within a run, 3-2. Fellow senior
Annika Norman would single in the next at-bat to put the game-tying run on base. Johnson would then step to the plate and see a first-pitch offering she liked. The senior absolutely cranked a ball over the fence to provide MSUM its first lead, 4-3.
In the top of the seventh,
Isabel Rodriguez would close the game after entering in the third frame. Rodriguez earned her second win of the season thanks to Johnson's go-ahead homer as the Dragons won 4-3.
Game Two
The Dragons would continue to look sharp in game two as Steffen would triple again to lead off the top of the first inning.
Teagan Pranchke would bring Steffen home on a single in the next at-bat to bring MSUM a 1-0 lead. Dragon starter
Brynna Farman would look solid, holding the Marauders without a run across the first three innings.
In the bottom of the third inning. Steffen would again get the Dragons going with a one-out triple, her third of the afternoon. Gonzalez would give MSUM a 2-0 lead after a single scored Steffen later in the inning. It was not until the bottom of the fourth inning where MSUM would break the game open slightly. Thurber and
Chloe Christie would get on base with singles before Clemmons loaded the bases with a single of her own.
After Thurber scored on a wild pitch, Gonzalez would clear the bases with a triple. Heading into the fifth inning. MSUM led 6-0. Mary would claw back into the contest after scoring a run in the fifth and four more in the sixth inning. With the Dragons up to bat in the sixth, they led, 6-5. Steffen would lead off the home half with a single, her third hit of the ballgame. From there, Pranchke would smack a ball down the left field line, forcing the Mary fielder to dive for the ball. As the ball made it past the Marauder, Pranchke motored around the bases for the first inside-the-park home run of her career. The electrifying play helped push the Dragon lead back to three runs, 8-5.
Freshman
Bella Hess would work through the top of the seventh inning to clinch a save for the Dragons, the first of her career. Farman collected the first pitching decision victory of her career in the 8-5 Dragon win.
Up Next
MSUM (12-27, 4-8 NSIC) is back home this weekend as they host Sioux Falls in a doubleheader scheduled for noon on Saturday.
