BISMARCK, ND – In need of a win after losing their home opener,
Brieann Backes pitched a two-hit complete game and
Colleen Crutchfield drove in three runs to give the University of Mary softball team a split with Minot State University. The Beavers won the Northern Sun opener 8-2 before the Marauders responded with a 6-1 win.
Both teams scored in the opening inning of the first game. Mary tied the contest on a leadoff triple by
Madison McGonigal into the right field corner. She came around to score on the play when the throw back to the infield when awry.
Minot State broke the game open with three runs in the third and another in the fourth.
Beavers pitcher Jenn Spencer limited the Marauders to two hits and two runs, striking out three hitters. Tori Zimmerman drove in four runs and was one of three MSU players with two hits.
Madison Jahner allowed one earned run in four innings of relief for Mary. The freshman allowed five hits and walked two while striking out four.
The Marauders quickly put the opener behind them with a fast start to game two. Making use of a Beavers defensive mistake, Mary scored two unearned runs when Crutchfield lashed a two-out single to left to drive home both McGonigal and
Rebekkah Keller.
Mary extended its lead in the third. Keller, who led off with a single and stole second, scored when a Crutchfield ground ball eluded the Beavers second baseman for an error.
As Backes continued to keep the Beavers off the scoreboard, the Marauders doubled their lead in the fifth. McGonigal led off with a double to left. A bunt single by Keller forced an errant throw by MSU and scored McGonigal. A two-out single up the middle by Crutchfield brought home
Taylor Mendez. Another Beavers error soon plated Crutchfield for a 6-0 Marauders lead.
Minot State scored an unearned run in the seventh.
Arguably her best performance of the season, Backes struck out three in her complete game performance. The sophomore allowed just two hits, two walks and no earned runs.
Crutchfield finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run scored. Keller was 3-for-4 and scored twice. McGonigal scored twice. Hannah Holz added two of Mary's nine hits.
Jordan Branch had both Minot State hits.
The Marauders (7-20 overall, 1-1 NSIC) next plays at Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State on April 1-2 before returning home to host Bemidji State on April 4.
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