Softball Beats SMSU 5-0 In Second Game To Earn Split

Sunday, April 23

1 p.m.

St. Cloud State

28-21, 12-11

Southwest Minnesota State University

19-20, 10-13

Southwest Minnesota

St. Cloud State

Kate Kopeck

Photo by: Ryan Evans

4/23/2017 6:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

St. Cloud, Minn. – Sophomore Kate Kopeck tossed her fourth shutout of the season to help lead St. Cloud State's softball team (29-21, 13-11 NSIC) to a 5-0 victory to earn a split with Southwest Minnesota State (19-21, 10-14 NSIC) on Sunday, April 23, at Selke Field. SCSU fell in the opener in eight innings by an 8-7 margin.

Kopeck (13-9) was steady in allowing seven hits and two walks while totaling seven strikeouts in throwing her 13th complete game and fourth shutout of the season in the team's second game of the day.

Senior Megan Hedstrom surrendered seven runs (six earned) in 6.1 innings in the first game with five walks and three strikeouts. Fellow senior Rebecca Harps (1-2) took the loss for SCSU in allowing one run in relief in her inning of work.

Senior Jessica Goerger paced the offense for SCSU with four hits including a pair of home runs and seven RBIs. She recorded a total of 10 bases and also scored a pair of runs. Freshman Maya Keating picked up five hits and three runs in the two games. Fellow freshman Anna Roth recorded three hits and an RBI. Senior Abby Bunnell totaled three hits and three runs scored.

Game One
Southwest Minnesota State scored first with a run in the third inning as a misthrow to second on a successful steal allowed Abbie Decker to score the game's first run from third base.

The Mustangs added a pair of runs to the lead in the fourth inning on Madison Krog's two-run home run.

The Huskies tied in the game with three runs in the sixth inning. Bunnell started the rally with a single and moved to second on Keating's single. Harps followed with a one-out double off the wall to score Bunnell. The second and third runs came in as a ball hit by sophomore Morgan Emmans was mishandled by the SMSU right fielder to let both runners race around the bases.

The Mustangs put up four runs in the top of the seventh with Alex Reak recording a two-run single plus Karmann Carroll and Sam Flack both picking up RBIs in the frame.

SCSU had a furious rally and tied the game at seven all in the bottom of the frame. Roth began the really with a single to left field. Bunnell followed with a single of her own. Sophomore Samantha Boettcher was inserted to run for Roth at second and moved to third as Bunnell took second when Keating reached on a fielding error from the SMSU third baseman. Goerger then followed with a dramatic game-tying grand slam off the scoreboard to knot things up at seven.

The Mustangs picked up a single run to take the lead for good in the eighth inning with Karmann Carroll doubling in Victoria Brooks with two-outs.

Alex O'Connor (10-9) earned the win for SMSU in allowing seven runs (four earned) with eight strikeouts in eight innings worked.

Game Two
The Huskies struck first with a run in the second inning. Emmans reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second a wild pitch and third on a ground out before scoring on Roth's base hit.

St. Cloud State added on with three runs in the fifth inning. Bunnell and Keating both reached on singles and Goerger followed with a three-run home run left field. It was her fifth home run of the season and second of the day.

SCSU added another run to the lead in the sixth inning. Coletto recorded a lead-off single. Senior Brianne Hightshoe ran for Coletto and quickly stole second. After Bunnell was hit by a pitch, Hightshoe took third as Keating tallied an infield single. A wild pitch allowed Hightshoe to scamper in with the team's fifth run of the game.

Shelby Crank (4-7) was tagged with the loss in allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings.

The Huskies wraps up the home portion of the regular season by hosting Minnesota Crookston on Wednesday, April 26, for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Selke Field. The day is also Game Show Day where fans can win prizes by participating in games throughout the two games.