Softball Sweeps Northern State, 7-4 and 6-2

Tuesday, March 29

St. Cloud, Minn.

2:00 p.m.

St. Cloud State

18-14, 4-3

Northern State University

12-17, 2-3

Northern State

St. Cloud State

Alyssa Coletto

3/29/2016 7:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The St. Cloud State softball team (19-14, 5-3 NSIC) took both games of its conference doubleheader over visiting Northern State (12-18, 2-4 NSIC) on Tuesday, March 29, at Selke Field by scores of 7-4 and 6-2.

The team's offense was able to record 26 hits and 13 runs in the two victories including a season-high 16 hits in the first game.

Junior Megan Hedstrom (6-8) picked up the save in the first game and earned a relief win in the second game in totaling 6.1 innings out of the pen. Senior Senna Francesconi was the game one winner after going 5.1 innings and allowing four runs (three runs). Hedstrom then entered and threw 1.2 scoreless innings with only a hit allowed in the opening game.

Six different members of the team's offense recorded multiple hit games in the first game against the Wolves. Junior Alyssa Coletto had three hits and two runs scored. Juniors Abby Bunnell, Rebecca Harps, Jessica Goerger and sophomores Veronica Wold and Libby Bingham also tallied a pair of hits in the day's opener. Harps and Bingham also collected a pair of RBIs each.

Northern State took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Rachel Albright RBI single.

The Huskies took the lead back with a two-spot in the third inning. Bunnell reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a Coletto single through the left side and scored on a Harps' RBI single down the right field line. Coletto, who took third on the attempted play at the plate, scored the team's second run on a wild pitch.

After the Wolves tied the game at two all in the top of the fourth inning, SCSU took the lead for good with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Senior Taige Puetz began the rally with a single and moved to second on a bunt single. After a fielder's choice eliminated pinch runner Brianne Hightshoe at second and allowed Hedstrom to reach base, Bingham doubled in a pair of runs with her shot to right center. Coletto followed with an RBI single to right to plate Bingham. A Harps' double scored Coletto for the team's fourth run of the inning.

NSU crawled back and scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on Brittney Lash's two-run home run.

SCSU would answer in their half of the sixth on a Bunnell RBI single to make the final score 7-4.

The Huskies took control early in the second game with three runs in the opening inning. Bunnell recorded a leadoff single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scampered home on a Harps' RBI single. Goerger followed with a two-run home run to center field. Goerger would end up not being retired the entire day as she recorded four hits and two walks plus drove in three runs.

Northern State cut the lead down to one with two runs in the top of the second inning on a Katelynn Dilts home run and a Michaela Liebl RBI single.

The Huskies added a run to the lead in the fourth inning on Goerger's second home run of the game and seventh of the season.

SCSU finished off the scoring with two runs in the fifth inning with Puetz recording a two-run RBI single to plate senior pinch runner Megan Larkin and Harps.

Hedstrom earned the win in the second game with her 4.2 scoreless innings of relief in allowing two hits and recording four strikeouts.

St. Cloud State returns to action and hosts a pair of NSIC opponents later this week at Selke Field. The program welcomes in No. 15 ranked Winona State (21-7, 3-2 NSIC) on Saturday, April 2, for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. and then hosts Upper Iowa (19-9, 5-1 NSIC) for a pair of games beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 3.