Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BISMARCK, N.D—Erin Keen pitched just the second no-hitter since the University of Mary left NAIA for NCAA Division II in 2006 as the U-Mary softball team split with St. Cloud State University (11-23-1, 5-12-1 NSIC) Friday afternoon. The Marauders dropped the first game 3-1, but rebounded in the second for a 9-1, six-inning win.
 
Needing the fewest pitches of any game she has pitched more than five innings, Erin Keen needed just 72 pitches to complete the no-hitter. Despite winds gusting upward of 50 mph, Keen was unflappable as she struck out three and walked just one in six no-hit innings to pick up her 12th win of the season.
 
The last no-hitter thrown by a U-Mary pitcher came on Feb. 28, 2010 as Ashley Watson tossed five no-hit innings in a 10-1 win over Lake Eerie.
 
GAME 1
 
Despite gaining an early lead and a dominant pitching performance by Cherlyn Trujillo, the Marauders dropped the opener to the Huskies 3-1.
 
Trujillo was saddled with the loss, despite allowing just four hits and two earned runs, while striking out three over seven innings of work. Leading U-Mary's offense, Amber Gamboa was 2-for-2 in the game with a walk.
 
U-Mary's lone run of the game came in the third inning as Keen lead off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Alana Norman delivered the Marauders first hit of the game on an infield single to advance Keen. With two outs and a 2-0 count, Gamboa singled to right to give U-Mary a 1-0 lead.
 
The Marauders gave the Huskies an extra out in the fourth inning as SCSU rallied to score two runs, one of which was unearned, on two hits.
 
U-Mary added singles in the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to advance a runner past second base the rest of the game.
 
After hitting the first batter, the Marauders surrendered a hit to put runners at the corners for the Huskies in the seventh. An RBI groundout gave SCSU their third run as they eventually went on to win 3-1.
 
GAME 2
 
Things started out shaky for Keen and the Marauders as a walk and two errors led to a run by the Huskies; taking Keens lead, U-Mary settled in and cruised to a 9-1 victory.
 
Finishing with 11 hits as a team, Allison Brown, Kristin Ormsby, Taylor Mendez and Francine Villalobos each finished with two hits for the Marauders.
 
With a 1-0 deficit, Brown led off the first for the Marauders with a double and with one out Ormsby singled to center to tie the game at 1-1. After Ormsby stole second, Gamboa doubled to left field to give the Marauders a 2-1 lead. U-Mary added a third run on a single to left by Mendez to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Brown delivered an RBI single in the second to score Villalobos, who walked to give the Marauders a 4-1 lead.  
 
U-Mary added four runs on three hits in the third, taking advantage of two errors by SCSU to go ahead 8-1.
 
 With two outs in the top of the sixth, the Huskies third hitter drove a ball to left side of infield, but Villalobos snagged the line drive to preserve Keen's no-hitter.
 
After Norman doubled with one out in the sixth, Ormsby ended the game as she singled up the middle to give U-Mary a 9-1 win.
 
Allowing the Huskies to draw first blood, the Marauders won just their third game of the season when their opponent scores first.
 
ON DECK
 
U-Mary (25-17, 10-8 NSIC) will be back in action tomorrow as it hosts University of Minnesota Duluth in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
 
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