Softball reaches 20 NSIC wins with Sioux Falls sweep

Friday, April 26

St. Cloud, Minn.

2 p.m.

St. Cloud State

37-14, 19-9

University of Sioux Falls (S.D.)

23-25, 13-14

Sioux Falls

St. Cloud State

Alexandra Pinkowski jacks a double in the Huskies 7-2 win over Sioux Falls.

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

4/26/2019 6:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ST. CLOUD, MINN. – The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and the St. Cloud State softball team was finally playing softball outside in its hometown. The Huskies couldn't have asked for a better start to the end of the regular season, and not just in terms of the weather. The 'Skies stayed hot in their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) doubleheader against the University of Sioux Falls on Friday, as the team earned another conference sweep. This time, St. Cloud State used its bats to win game one 7-2 before a dominant pitching performance helped the team prevail for a 1-0 win in game two.

Morgan Emmans (Blaine, Minn. / Mounds Park Academy) got the scoring party started for the Huskies in game one, as she kicked things off with a first pitch leadoff home run to give her team an early 1-0 lead. Of course, St. Cloud State wasn't satisfied with just the single run on Emmans home run, though, as Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrensvills) and Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield) scored on an RBI single by Raven Vanden Langenberg (Seymour, Wis. / Seymour) to extend the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the first.

The Cougars did make things interesting by scoring two run in the top of the second to cut the Huskies lead to 4-2. St. Cloud State answered by scoring another run in the bottom of the inning. Right fielder Alexandra Pinkowski (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake) led off the inning with a double, stole third and scored easily on a sacrifice fly from Emmans to gain a 4-2 advantage for the Huskies

St. Cloud State busted things open in the bottom of the fourth, as the team scored three runs on two hits to take a 7-2 lead over Sioux Falls. Megan Conrads (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) delivered the bases clearing, two out double that helped pushed the Huskies over the edge.

A 4-2 lead would have held thanks to another top notch performance in the circle from senior ace Kate Kopeck (Lumsden, Sask. / Lumsden). The senior earned her 16^th win of the season in dominant fashion, as she gave up just two runs on three hits in seven innings of work. Additionally, Kopeck tallied five strikeouts in her efforts, pushing her season total to 136.

The second game was a different story, as the Huskies prevailed for a clutch 1-0 win over the Cougars. It took St. Cloud State a few innings to score the lone run of the ball game, but the team's perseverance at the plate eventually paid off in the bottom of the third. Like in the third inning of game one, Pinkowski led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Keating to put a runner at third with two outs for Conrads. The sophomore first baseman came up clutch when the Huskies needed her to yet again, as her single up the middle allowed Pinkowski to score easily from third and give St. Cloud State the 1-0 lead.

That one run was enough for first year pitcher Sydney LaPoint (Green Bay, Wis. / Bayport), as she dominated on the mound to earn her 11^th win of the 2019 season. The first year opened the game by sending Sioux Falls top three hitters down in order, setting the tone for what would be one of her most dominant pitching performances of the season.

LaPoint did run into trouble in the top of the seventh, as Kaitlyn VandDer Swaag hit a leadoff single to give the Cougars a base runner with zero outs on the board. It was no trouble, though, for LaPoint and the Huskies defense. In fact, the first year pitcher got the next batter out herself, as she caught a pop up bunter to hold the runner at first and record the first out of the inning. LaPoint then got Sioux Falls' eight batter to foul out to Conrads and first, while a grounder to short secured the 1-0 win for St. Cloud State.

With the wins, the Huskies overall record improves to 38-14 and they are now 20-8 in NSIC play. The two wins also mark the second consecutive season St. Cloud State will reach the 20-win mark in NSIC play.

The Huskies will return to action on Sunday, April 28 when they host Southwest Minnesota State at 12 and 2 p.m. at Selke Field in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The doubleheader will mark the end of the regular season for St. Cloud State, though the team will play in the NSIC tournament May 2-4 in Rochester, Minnesota.