WINONA, Minn. - Taking on the #22 ranked team in the nation, the University of Mary Softball team was on the road against Winona State University today in another Northern Sun doubleheader.
 
The Marauders (19-24, 8-9 NSIC) struggled to get the offense going in the first game as they lost 8-0 to the Warriors (31-8, 13-1 NSIC), but U-Mary bounced back with a statement win the second game, 3-2, handing Winona State their first loss in conference.
 
The Warriors were on a 12-game winning streak in conference play prior to taking on the Marauders, and the first game of the day turned into a defensive performance as U-Mary was able to put the bat on the ball but could find the gaps to get the hits.
 
Reed Karsten got the Warriors on the board in the bottom of the first with a one-out shot over the center field fence to go up on the Marauders early at 1-0, but Winona State wasn't done in the inning as Morgan Lintz drove a two-run shot to right center that put the score at 3-0 before U-Mary had a chance to get their power hitters to the plate.
 
It didn't matter much as the Marauders were held hitless from the second inning on as their two hits of the game came from a Taylor Mendez single back up the middle and a Julissa Perales single up the middle.
 
The Warriors got two more runs to their total in the bottom of the third when McKenna Larsen had a two-run home run fly over the right field fence, and the Marauders couldn't find a response to the onslaught.
 
Karsten added one more to Winona State's total with an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the score at 6-0, and the Warriors finally put a pin in the game in the bottom of the sixth when Karsten doubled to right center to score a run and ended up scoring on a throwing error by the shortstop during Lintz's at bat.
 
With the first game of the day in the books, the Marauders were looking for that spark to get the offense going in the second game, but it turned into a pitcher's duel as MeLanie Rodriguez became the difference in the second contest of the day.
 
Rodriguez sat down the side in the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back groundouts followed by a fly out, but the Marauders were still struggling to get the bat on the ball, as they were held hitless through the first three innings.
 
The Warriors got their first run in the bottom of the second when Lintz led the inning off with a double to center field and eventually scored on a two-out double from Natalie Kalmes to put the Marauders in a 1-0 hole.
 
Rodriguez got her groove back in the bottom of the third by forcing three groundouts, two of which she got her glove on, as Winona State couldn't pad their lead.
 
Kristin Ormsby broke up the no-hitter with a single to right center, but was out on a double play coming from a popped bunt as U-Mary tried to employ small ball tactics to tie the game up.
 
MeLanie found herself in some trouble in the fourth inning when, after the leadoff hitter flied out to left field, Lintz drew a walk and got to second on a single down the left field line from Larsen. Rodriguez got some more help from her defense when Jessica Kullmann singled to left center, but a beautiful throw from Alana Norman threw Cydnei Gunderson, who was pinch running for Lintz, out at third base. Rodriguez then ended the inning by striking out Kalmes.
 
U-Mary provided a scare in the top of the fifth when Julissa Perales led the inning off with a single through the right side, but couldn't get past second base as Winona State's starting pitcher, Hanna Lythberg, struck out the next two batters and forced the final out on a groundball.
 
The Warriors got their second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Allyson O'Herron reached on an error by the first baseman and her pinch runner, Shannon Nelson, was able to score on a Karsten groundball fielder's choice, making the score 2-0 in favor of Winona State.
 
The Marauders finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning when Nena Dudley struck out swinging, but made it to first base on a fielding error by the catcher. Ormsby ended up grounding out to second base but it allowed Dudley to move up a base and Norman followed that up with a single to the third baseman that moved Dudley up one more bag.
 
Norman stole second during Mendez's at bat and Taylor struck out swinging as well but also made it to first base on an error by the catcher. Dudley scored on the error and U-Mary cut into the Warrior's lead at 2-1 with Perales coming up.
 
Mendez stole second base during Perales' at bat since Norman moved up to third on the error, and Julissa drove the ball down the left field line to bring in Norman and Mendez to give U-Mary the lead at 3-2, and that was all the Marauders could get going into the bottom of the sixth.
 
The rest was up to Rodriguez as Winona State led off the next inning with a single from Larsen through the left side. A pitch hit Kullmann during the next at bat but MeLanie's defense was there to pick her up as Kalmes lined into a double play straight to Ormsby at shortstop, who doubled up on the runner at first base. Larsen eventually made it to third base on a wild pitch, but Rodriguez composed herself and forced O'Herron to pop out to the second baseman, ending the inning.
 
U-Mary couldn't add to their lead in the top of the seventh as they went down in order, and the Warriors had one more inning before the Marauders could walk away with the split.
 
Jamee Schleis drew the lead off walk and made it to second when Lexi Perez reached on a fielder's choice error from the third baseman. Karsten lined out to the shortstop in her at bat and Ashley Walker flied out to center field during her at bat, but allowed Schleis to advance up to third base.
 
With the tying run in scoring position, Lintz drew the two-out walk and the Warriors had the bases loaded with two outs.
 
Rodriguez finally said enough is enough and she forced a fly out from Larsen to end the game and give U-Mary a 3-2 victory over one of the top teams in the nation.
 
MeLanie went the distance with seven innings pitched, only six hits given up, three strikeouts and two runs given up.
 
Perales was the lone Marauder to finish the game with multiple hits and she had two singles in the game with two RBI.
 
Norman and Ormsby had the other two hits for U-Mary, both singles, with Norman adding another stolen base to her total on the season.
 
The Marauders will be busy next week when the return home for the start of their Breast Cancer Awareness and Senior Day games, starting with a doubleheader against Northern State University on Tuesday, April 14, at 2 PM.
 
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