Softball comes up short in NSIC opener

Tuesday, March 26

Duluth, MN

12 p.m.

St. Cloud State

18-7, 0

University of Minnesota Duluth

10-10, 0

St. Cloud State

Minnesota Duluth

Sydney Trees scored St. Cloud State's lone run in the series against Minnesota-Duluth.

Photo by: Kelsey Whaley

3/26/2019 4:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

DULUTH, MINN. – After nearly a full month playing away from the state of Minnesota, the St. Cloud State University softball was able to open its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) season on time and in the proper city. Sadly, the Huskies did not get off to the start they were hoping for in conference play. Despite two strong outings from the team's starting pitchers, St. Cloud State came up short in both game of the doubleheader against Minnesota-Duluth, falling 1-0 in the opener and 3-1 in game two.

The Huskies hot offense had no issues hitting off the Bulldogs pitchers, as they tallied at least three hits in both games of the double header. St. Cloud State's issue Tuesday afternoon was hitting with runners in scoring position. The team stranded five runners in its NSIC opener against Minnesota-Duluth before abandoning six in game two.

The first game between the Huskies and Bulldogs was a pitchers duel that fell Minnesota-Duluth's way. In fact, senior ace Kate Kopeck (Lumsden, Sask. / Lumsden) pitched a gem of a game for St. Cloud State, as she held the Bulldogs to just one run and three in hits in six innings of work while tallying seven Ks in the process.

Normally, the one run deficit would be enough for the Huskies to overcome, as their offense has averaged 7.5 runs per game this season. However, Bulldog starter Sam Pederson had other ideas. The first year pitcher held St. Cloud State's batters to four hits and no runs in the opener, the Huskies lowest totals of the 2019 season thus far.

Of course, St. Cloud State threatened to tie the game multiple times after Minnesota-Duluth took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. In fact, the Huskies managed to load the bases in the top of the second, as Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Warrensville-Wheaton), Alexandra Pinkowski (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake) and Raven Vanden Langenberg (Seymour, Wis. / Seymour) used their speed to put runners on every base with two outs. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs strong defensive play kept the Huskies off the scoreboard in the second inning and again in the fourth and the fifth. St. Cloud State even looked like it was putting together a seventh inning rally after Cassie Francesconi (Schomberg, Ont. / Emily Carr Secondary) drew a leadoff walk. The junior outfielder would not advance past second base, as the next three batters went down in order, resulting in the 1-0 loss.

St. Cloud State looked like it was on pace to rebound with a big game two win, as the team threatened early by loading the bases in the top of the first. Like in game one, though, the Huskies struggled to get clutch hits with runners in scoring position, as they were once again held scoreless through the first four innings of play. Unlike in game one, St. Cloud State did manage to get one run on the board thanks to first year third baseman Sydney Trees (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake). The first year led off the fifth inning with a solo bomb over the left field fence, cutting the Minnesota-Duluth lead to 2-1 with two innings left to play.

The Bulldogs scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, extended their lead to 3-1 after the Huskies failed to score in the top of the sixth. However, it looked like St. Cloud State put together the makings of a rally in the seventh, as Megan Conrads (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) and Francesconi opened the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second with no outs. However, the two runners wouldn't advance past second and third, as a hard hit ground out by Vanden Langenberg would end the inning, resulting in a 3-1 loss for St. Cloud State.

Sydney LaPoint (Green Bay, Wis. / Bayport) would suffer just her second loss of the season, as she gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings of work. Conrads was the top hitting for the Huskies, as she went 2-3 at the plate, while Trees went 1-2 and scored the team's lone run on the day.

With the losses, St. Cloud State's overall record falls to 18-9 and the team opens the conference season with a 0-2 mark in NSIC play. As of now, the Huskies are scheduled to return to action on Saturday, March 30 when they travel to Wayne, Nebraska to take on Wayne State College. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 12 p.m.