Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Rochester, MN – Offensive struggles and defensive miscues led to the University of Mary's elimination from the Northern Sun softball tournament on the first day of competition. The Marauders, who scored just twice and totaled eight hits on the day, lost the opener 2-0 to the University of Minnesota Duluth before dropping an 8-2 decision to Wayne State College.
 
The Marauders, ranked seventh in the NCAA Central Region rankings, now must wait until Monday to determine if they will qualify for the national tournament. U-Mary is 26-19 overall.
 
A pitcher's duel in the opening contest, U-Mary's Emily Sinclair and UMD's Julia Nealer were both exceptional as neither team could generate a run through the first four innings.
 
The Bulldogs would break through in the fifth. After a one-out double by Carlie Schnobelen to right field, just the Bulldogs second hit of the day, Sinclair recorded a strikeout before walking Tyra Kerr. With two outs, Michaela Goris hit a line drive to right that Sami Antolin was unable to hold, allowing Schnobelen to score the first run of the game.
 
Erin Hunecke extended the Bulldogs lead to 2-0 with a leadoff home run to left center in the sixth.
 
A dropped fly ball with two outs in the top of the seventh kept the Marauders hopes alive but Nealer retired Brittney Hadley on a fly ball to right to end the game.
 
Both teams managed just three hits apiece. Jessica Alvarado had two hits for the Marauders and Brooke Hageness had the other. Alvarado also stole second base in the first and fourth innings, the only time U-Mary had a base runner in scoring position.
 
Sinclair struck out six in a six-inning complete game. She gave up three hits, walked two and hit one. Nealer struck out four and walked one.
 
Dropped into the elimination bracket against Wayne State College, sloppy play by the Marauders allowed the Wildcats to jump out to a quick lead.
 
The first Wildcats hitter in the game reached base on an error and the second batter was hit by a pitch. The third hitter reached on a fielder's choice as U-Mary was unable to make a defensive play. After a sacrifice fly brought home the first run of the game, a walk loaded the bases. Another hit batter forced home the second and final run of the inning.
 
Wayne State bumped the lead to 4-0 on a two-run double by Kaiti Williams in the second.
 
Freshman Kristin Ormsby hit a solo home run to center in the bottom of the second for the Marauders first run of the day. The Wildcats wasted no time responding, scoring three times after the Marauders booted what would have been the final out of the inning. The big blow was a Jordan King two-run single to increase the WSC lead to 7-1.
 
Back to back doubles by Melissa Gonzalez and Allison Brown to open the fourth looked to be a start of a rally but Brown would be caught attempting to steal home.
 
U-Mary managed just one more base runner the rest of the way. Tricia Clarke led off the fifth inning with a single but was thrown out attempting to steal.
 
Gonzalez led the Marauders offense in game two. The All-NSIC shortstop posted two of the Marauders five hits.  
 
Dani Sandel had two hits and scored three times for Wayne State. Jordan King added two hits, scored twice and drove in two runs.
 
The Marauders had swept the Wildcats in the first weekend of the conference season. Wayne State ranked tenth in the Central Region rankings released yesterday.
 
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