Maverick softball keeps success train rolling

Minnesota State’s Maverick softball team dominated NSIC action this past weekend and picked up wins in each of their outings to extend their winning streak to seven in a row. Minnesota State outscored their opponents 37-5 on the way to the weekend sweep. With the wins, the Mavericks improve to 27-4 and hold onto an undefeated record in the NSIC with six wins in the conference.

The Mavericks opened their home stand-weekend on Saturday against the Augustana Vikings who entered the weekend holding on to a 17-7 overall record. Game one ended in a 4-0 win, with Coley Ries getting the shutout win, striking out nine batters and allowing six hits.

Minnesota State got what ended up being the game-winning run in the second inning when Alyssa Rickles drilled it to center field and scored Carly Esselman. Amber Kral would end with two RBI’s and Samantha Buhmann added one while Jess Meidl, Ashley Thell, and Kral added runs.

Augustana didn’t allow themselves to be shutout in game two of the double-header as the Vikings got on the scoreboard in the first inning to go up 2-0 off the rip. The Vikes added another run in the third inning but the Mavs added their first run at the bottom of the inning when Alyssa Rickles stole third for the score.

The fifth inning was the game changer. Thell popped off a home run to score three other Mavs and put the team up 5-3 that gave them the eventual win. Libby Bemis got the win with one strikeout and allowed three hits in five innings while Ries was credited with the save for her two innings.

Sunday afternoon’s games against Wayne state weren’t as close as the previous day and accounted for the large scoring differential outscoring Wayne State 28-2 in the two games which only went five innings each. Game one saw the Mavericks go up 6-0 in the third inning. Dana Mogren led the Mavs by supplying five RBI’s and adding two runs off two hits in three at bats. Cori Kennedy had six RBI’s and two runs, and Jess Meidl had five RBI’s and five runs off seven hits.

Ries added to her great weekend with another win striking out six batters and allowing one hit in her five innings. She’s now 14-2 on the season.

Game two didn’t go much different and Minnesota State picked up where they left off, winning 16-1 in the final game of the team’s weekend. By the end of the second inning, the Mavericks were up 9-1 and in firm control on the way to the win.

In the double-header, Minnesota State’s Jess Meidl had five RBIs and five runs off seven hits, Dana Mogren had five RBI’s and two runs off two hits, and Cori Kennedy had six RBI’s and added two runs. Game two also saw Kennedy and Meidl hit home runs.

Minnesota State will hit the road and play Sioux Falls in NSIC action on Tuesday, April 4 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.