SCSU softball upends reigning champs to advance in NSIC tourney

Thursday, May 3

Sioux Falls, S.D. (Bowden Field)

12 p.m.

St. Cloud State

34-18

Northern State University

29-20

Northern State

St. Cloud State

SCSU softball upends reigning champs to advance in NSIC tourney

5/3/2018 7:09:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SIOUX FALLS, S. D. – The St. Cloud State University softball team advanced to the second round Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) tournament for the second straight season. After a disappointing 9-3 loss in their tournament opener, the Huskies rebounded for a big 2-1 win over the defending Division II National Champions Minnesota State-Mankato.

Revenge was certainly sweep for St. Cloud State, as the Mavericks were the only team to sweep the Huskies in NSIC play during the regular season. However, Thursday afternoon did come with some heartbreak, as St. Cloud State dropped its opening game of the tournament to Northern State University 9-3 in seven innings.

The Wolves jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning, as they scored two quick runs off junior pitcher Bradi Yost (Parkersburg, Iowa / Aplington-Parkersburg). However, it looked like the Huskies had an answer in the bottom of the first, as Megan Conrads (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) and Megan Emmans (Blaine, Minn. / Mounds Park Academy) tallied two singles to put runners on first and third with no outs. Sadly, Conrads and Emmans were stranded at their respective base, resulting in the 2-0 Northern State lead after the opening inning.

Yost pitched her way through a quick second inning to give her offense a chance to even the score early in the game. Unfortunately, the Huskies went down in order in the bottom of the second, and the Wolves tacked on two runs in the third, extending their lead to 4-0. Northern State scored three more in the fourth, taking a 7-0 lead over St. Cloud State midway through the game.

The Huskies eventually scored their first two runs of the ball game in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Wolves lead to 7-2. St. Cloud State third baseman Alexis Jacobs (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury) opened the inning with a leadoff double to right center and advanced to third on a single by Amanda Moncelle (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North). Jacobs eventually scored during Kylie Thomsen's (Elk Grove Village, Ill. / Elk Grove) at bat, as the pitcher's soft liner down the right field line scored Jacobs from third. Moncelle scored during the next at bat, taking advantage of a Northern State throwing error to cut the lead to 7-2.

Unfortunately, the Wolves scored two runs in the fifth, extending their lead to 9-2. While the Huskies were able to score one in the bottom of the inning, the lead was too much to overcome, resulting in the 9-3 Northern State victory.

St. Cloud State rebounded in a big way, though, in its second game of the afternoon, upending Minnesota-Mankato in a nail biter 2-1. Unlike game one, the Huskies jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to Moncelle's solo home run over the left field fence.

It looked like Moncelle's home run was all St. Cloud State would need with Yost dealing from the circle. The junior held the Mavericks to just two hits through the first three innings of play and only allowed three total batter to reach base. However, she did run into some trouble in the fourth, as Minnesota-Mankato managed to tie the score at 1-1 on an infield error by the Huskies.

Fortunately, the St. Cloud State offense was not deterred, and quickly went to work scoring its own run in the bottom of the inning. Brooke Bowlin (Chaska, Minn. / Holy Family) drew a one-out walk and eventually scored on an RBI single from center fielder Cassie Francesconi (Schomberg, Onterio / Emily Carr Secondary School) to but the Huskies ahead 2-1.

From there, Yost and the St. Cloud State defense went to work holding the Mavercks at bay. Yost pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning in the fifth and surrendered just one hit in the sixth to hold the Huskies 2-1 lead entering the top of the seventh. However, that's when things got a little interesting, as Minnesota-Mantako managed to put a runner on first with no outs thanks to a leadoff hit.

In the end, the hit didn't matter, as Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrensivlle) made a diving play in foul territory for the first out of the inning then completed the double play when the runner at first didn't tag up before running to second. Yost then took take of business herself, as she got the Mavericks nine hitter to pop out to the pitcher to end the game with the 2-1 victory.

Yost earned her second "W" of the season in game two, as she gave up just one run on seven hits in seven innings of work. She also tallied two strikeouts while walking just one batter in the victory.

With the split, St. Cloud State's overall record improves to 25-18. More importantly, the team advances to the second round of the NSIC Softball Tournament and will take on Southwest Minnesota State University at 10 a.m. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Friday.