Softball Splits NSIC Doubleheader Against Minnesota Duluth

Tuesday, March 22

St. Cloud, Minn.

1:00 p.m.

St. Cloud State

14-12, 0-1

University of Minnesota Duluth

12-6, 1-0

Minnesota Duluth

St. Cloud State

Freshman Morgan Emmans

Photo by: Tom Nelson

3/22/2016 6:52:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SCSU Falls 4-2 in the First Game and Tallies 10-7 Victory In Second

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State's softball team (15-12, 1-1 NSIC) opened Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play and also played outdoors at Selke Field for the first time this season with a split doubleheader against Minnesota Duluth (12-7, 1-1 NSIC) on Tuesday, March 22. The Huskies fell in the opener by a 4-2 score and then rallied and held on in the second game for a 10-7 victory.

Junior Megan Hedstrom (4-7) was tagged with the loss in the first game in giving up four runs (three earned) in 6.1 innings pitched with four strikeouts and no walks. Minnesota Duluth's Cayli Sadler (6-4) earned the first game win for the Bulldogs with 6.1 innings worked while limiting the SCSU to two runs (one earned) on four hits.

UMD jumped on SCSU early with two runs in the opening inning with Sami Schynder and Becky Smith both registering RBIs.

The Huskies cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior Rebecca Harps reached on an error, moved to second on a hit from junior Jessica Goerger, third on a single from sophomore Veronica Wold and scampered home on a throwing error from the UMD first baseman.

Minnesota Duluth added single tallies to the lead in fifth and the sixth inning on an RBI single from Hannah Schmoll and a sacrifice fly from Ashley Lewis.

The Huskies mounted a rally in the bottom in the seventh inning. Senior Taige Puetz began the frame with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch. After a walk to junior Alyssa Coletto, Puetz scored on a Harps' RBI double to make the score 4-2. With the tying run on second base, UMD inserted reliever Valerie Hohol who then recorded a pair of strikeouts to earn her third save of the season and preserve the victory.

It was another slow start for SCSU in the second game with the Bulldogs plating three runs in the first inning and a single tally in the second frame to take 4-0 lead.

The Huskies would mount a game-tying rally in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Libby Bingham reached on an error and moved to second a wild pitch. Puetz then walked before junior Abby Bunnell guided a single to center field to load the bases. Coletto followed with a bases clearing double. Coletto would score herself and tie the game at four all on senior Tricia DeBoer's RBI ground out.

SCSU took the lead for good in the fourth inning on Bingham's first home run of the season.

The Huskies added a pair of runs to the cushion in the fifth inning. Coletto drew a lead-off walk. Freshman Samantha Boettcher was inserted to run for Coletto and moved to second on a Harps' sacrifice bunt. Goerger then laced a double to left field to score Boettcher. Goerger scored the team's seventh run of the game and second of the inning on a fielding error from UMD.

SCSU completed its scoring with three big insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Bunnell reached on a one-out double, moved to third on a pass ball and came into score on a Harps' RBI single. Goerger then launched her fourth home run of the season to extended the Huskies' lead to 10-4 heading into the seventh.

The Bulldogs would not go quietly in the seventh getting RBIs from Natalie Wright and Becky Smith plus a throwing error that also allowed a run to score to make the final score 10-7.

St. Cloud State continues NSIC play on the road this weekend with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Minnesota State, Mankato on Friday, March 25 and a pair of games against Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, March 26, starting at 1 p.m.