Softball season comes to end at NCAA Regional

Friday, May 10

Winona, Minn.

3:30 p.m.

St. Cloud State

43-18

Missouri Western State University

38-17

Missouri Western

St. Cloud State

St. Cloud State's Jasmin Estrada, Maya Keating and Haley Covais celebrate Alexis Jacobs home run in the third inning.

Photo by: Kelsey Whaley

5/10/2019 6:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

WINONA, MINN. – The St. Cloud State University softball team exceeded all expectations during the 2019 season. Expected to finish no better than sixth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) standings, the Huskies finished in a tie for third and advanced to the final day of the conference tournament just one week ago.

Again, St. Cloud State was looking to exceed expectations, as the team hoped to advance to the final day of the NCAA Regional with a win over Missouri Western University in an elimination game in Winona, Minnesota. In the end, the Huskies couldn't match the Griffons offensive fire power, as they fell in the NCAA Regional by a final score of 7-3.

The first inning continued to be St. Cloud State's arch nemesis, as Missouri Western scored three runs on a hit and an uncharacteristic Husky error to go up 3-0 in the top of the inning. However, it looked like St. Cloud State might get a rally, as Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrensville) tallied a one out hit and stole second to put a runner in scoring position for Morgan Emmans (Blaine, Minn. / Mounds Park Academy). The senior catcher seaming hit a scorching double down the left field line but the ball was called foul at the last second. Unfortunately, Emmans and Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield) were unable to bring Keating home, as the second baseman was stranded on second and the Huskies ended the inning with a zero on their side of the scoreboard.

Neither team scored in the second, but the Griffons tacked two more on to their lead with two home runs in the third to go up 5-0. That was when St. Cloud State's bats finally got going. In the bottom of the inning, Alexis Jacobs (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury) blasted a two-run home run over the centerfield fence to cut the lead to 5-2. The Huskies then made it 5-3 with some impressive base runner, as Alexandra Pinkowski (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake) took home on a first-and-third play to cut the lead to 5-3.

Unfortunately, those three runs were the only the Huskies would score in the ballgame, despite putting runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. In fact, St. Cloud State loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, as Estrada kicked off a two-out rally that included Raven Vanden Langenberg (Seymour, Wis. / Seymour) getting hit by a pitch and a Brooke Bowlin (Chaska, Minn. / Holy Family) walk to bring Cassie Francesconi (Schomberg, Ont. / Emily Carr Secondary) to the plate. Unfortunately, the junior skied out to the catcher, to end the inning for St. Cloud State.

Missouri Western added an insurance run in the fifth and one in the sixth to extend its lead over the Huskies to 7-3. Still, St. Cloud State had a great chance to score some runs in the seventh, as the team was sending its four, five and six batters to the plate. Sadly, a rally was not meant to be, as the Huskies put the ball in play but were unable to put a runner on base, as St. Cloud State was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by a final score of 7-3.

Conrads went 3-3 at the plate against Missouri Western and scored one of the Huskies three runs in the game. Keating was 2-4, while Estrada, Francesconi, Pinkowski and Jacobs each tallied a hit.

With the loss, St. Cloud State ends its season with an overall record of 43-18, the team's best record since the 2003 season. The Huskies also have plenty to be proud of, as they qualified for the NCAA Regional for the first time since 2004 and recorded their highest finish in the NSIC standings since joining the conference in 2009. Additionally, St. Cloud State seniors Emmans, Kate Kopeck (Lumsden, Sask. / Lumsden) and Bradi Yost (Parkersburg, Iowa / Aplington-Parkersburg) graduate as one of the most successful classes in recent history, as the three led the Huskies to three NSIC Tournament appearances and one trip to the NCAA Regional.