Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Mankato, MN – A two-hit shutout by Emily Sinclair lifted the University of Mary softball team to its biggest win of the year, a 1-0 whitewash of 8^th-ranked and Northern Sun-leading Minnesota State University. The Marauders win delivered U-Mary a split on the day after the Mavericks claimed an 8-0 victory in the opener.
 
Currently fifth in the NSIC standings with just one day remaining, the win appears to guarantee the Marauders a top eight finish in the Northern Sun and a spot in the NSIC conference tournament later this week. U-Mary can finish as high as fifth or as low as eighth, depending on how the squad performs at Southwest Minnesota State University in a doubleheader on Monday. The Mustangs are fighting for a playoff spot.
 
U-Mary is 24-17 overall and 13-11 in NSIC play. Minnesota State is 41-8 and 21-3.
 
In what was close to a must win game for U-Mary, Sinclair was brilliant. Over the first five innings the senior hurler allowed just one base runner - a leadoff single in the second - while retiring 15 of the first 16 hitters she faced.
 
The biggest hurdle for Sinclair came in the sixth inning. Eryn Edgerton hit a pinch-hit double to open the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Sinclair would get the next hitter to pop out in foul territory to shortstop Melissa Gonzalez before walking the next two hitters to load the bases. Sinclair escaped the jam when she induced cleanup hitter Chelsea Erickson to hit a grounder to Gonzalez for a force out at second. Sinclair retired the Mavericks in order in the seventh inning.
 
U-Mary picked up the lone run of the game in the fourth. Jenna Button led off with a single to left and moved to second on a single to center by Jessica Alvarado. Gonzalez then doubled to right, scoring Button. It was the first run Minnesota State had allowed in 50 innings.
 
The Marauders victory snapped the Mavericks seven-game winning streak. It was also Minnesota State's first home loss in 15 games.
  
Button posted two of the Marauders seven hits.
 
Sinclair allowed two hits and two walks while striking out four. It is her fourth shutout of the season as she improves to 11-5.
 
The Marauders didn't fare as well in the opener. While Rachel Davis and Erin Keen gave up just four hits, one walk and hit one batter, U-Mary's defense committed four errors that resulted in five unearned runs.
 
Minnesota State scored twice in the first, using two hits and a hit batter. Three errors, a hit and a bases loaded walk led to five more Mavericks runs in the third.
 
Melanie Upchurch led MSU with two hits and two runs scored in the second game and Lindsay Erickson scored twice.
 
Brooke Hageness had two hits for the Marauders, including a double. Gonzalez tripled in the first but never scored.
 
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