Softball comes up short against No. 23 WSU

Saturday, May 15

Rochester, Minn.

10 a.m.

St. Cloud State

28-16

Winona State University

37-11

St. Cloud State

Winona State

Maya Keating connects for a hit up the middle in the Huskies 4-0 loss to Winona State Saturday.

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

5/15/2021 12:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

ROCHESTER, MINN. - It was a rematch the St. Cloud State University softball team waited over 600 days for. In 2019, the Huskies advanced to the final day of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Championship only to be eliminated by the nationally ranked Winona State University Warriors in the opening game Saturday morning.

Flash forward two seasons and a pandemic. St. Cloud State found itself back in the NSIC Tournament and competing on the final day. The Huskies opponent: none other than those pesky Warriors, a team they upended in the opening round on Thursday and were hoping to upset yet again for the team's first trip to the NSIC Semifinal game. The trip was simply not meant to be. Despite a valiant effort, St. Cloud State fell to No. 23 Winona State by a score of 4-0, ending the team's outstanding run in the conference tourney.

The Huskies put together strong at bats against Warriors ace Jordyn Kleman but were never able to capitalize with runners in scoring position. In fact, St. Cloud State tallied the first hit of the game, as Megan Conrads (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) hit a soft liner to left field as the second batter of the ballgame. Raven Vanden Langenberg (Seymour, Wis. / Seymour) was seemingly set to tally the second hit of the game, as she sizzled the ball up the middle toward center field. Kleman, though, proved to be as good with her glove in the circle as she is with a ball, as she nabbed Vanden Langenberg's hit out of thin air and completed the double play with a throw to first to end the Huskies threat.

After a strong start on Thursday against Winona State, Trinity Junker (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes) took the circle again for St. Cloud State Saturday to make the second playoff start of her career. Early on, the first year ace found herself in trouble, as the Warriors tallied back to back walks before Allie Nowak tallied a long single to load the bases with no outs. The crafty Junker set to get herself out of the jam, as she got Libby Neveau to hit the ball on the ground toward the left side.

An unlucky bounce resulted in the Warriors first run of the game, as the ball dove and short-hopped Vanden Langenberg to score Katie Kolb from third. Junker then struck out Sydney Keller and got the out at home before a bases loaded hit by pitch made it 2-0 Winona State after one inning.

Still, St. Cloud State had at least six innings to put together a rally, maybe more if it tied the game to send it to extras. Unfortunately, despite putting runners on base, the Huskies were unable to capitalize. In the top of the second inning, Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrensville) ripped a single to center field but was caught stealing during the ensuring at bat, while Vanden Langenberg drew a two out walk in the fourth before being stranded at first.

The Huskies also hit several balls deep in the outfield, as Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield), Holly Weinberger (Waconia, Minn. / Waconia) and Haley McFarlane (Swisher, Iowa / Cedar Rapids Prairie) all hit balls to as deep back as a ball can go without leaving the ballpark. Each time, the Warriors came up with the grab and also robbed St. Cloud State of several key hits, preserving the shutout through six innings of play.

The Huskies best threat came in the top of the seventh. After Conrads was robbed of a bloop single, Vanden Langeneberg hit a single right field, giving St. Cloud State a baserunner with just one out on the board and Estrada at the plate. The sophomore designated player looked at the first strike before lacing a ball up the middle towards the center field grass. The Winona State shortstop robbed the lefty of a hit and took the force at second for the second out of the inning.

Still, the Huskies had life, as Estrada ran out the play and was safe at first with Weinberger at the plate. The first year sent the ball sky high on the second pitch, but again the Warriors came up with the clutch defensive play, ending the game in a 4-0 deficit for the Huskies.

Conrads, Vanden Langenberg and Keating were the lone St. Cloud State batters to tally hits Saturday morning, with Vanden Langeberg and Keating going 1-2 at the plate, while Conrads was 1-3.

Junker suffered the loss in the circle for the Huskies, as she surrendered three runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work.

With the loss, St. Cloud State's run at the NSIC Tournament comes to an end, and the team's record stands at 28-16. The Huskies additionally reach Championship Saturday of the conference tournament for the second consecutive season, as they also reached the final day back in 2019.