Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team swept Minnesota State on Sunday afternoon from Moccasin Creek Softball Complex. The Wolves took down the Mavericks 4-1 and 1-0, improving to 23-17 overall and 13-7 in the NSIC.
The Wolves took an early lead on the Mavericks, notching two runs in their first at-bats of the game.
Courtney Sjerven and
Kaitlyn King led off the inning with back-to-back singles to centerfield, and came around to score on a single to right by
Katie Dawson. Northern added two more runs in the third and fourth innings off the bats of Jamie Fisher and King.
Sjerven led the team going 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while King went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Kennady Thompson,
Madison Rutter,
Cassidy Schaar, and Dawson each notched a single, as NSU tallied eight hits in the game.
Fisher threw her 18
th win of the season going a complete seven innings. The junior gave up just one earned run on seven hits with one strikeout. Northern was stellar on defense with ten ground outs, eight fly outs, and no errors.
The two teams were scoreless through the first three innings of game two, however the Wolves scored the decisive run in the bottom of the fourth. Thompson led off the inning with a single up the middle and was pinch run for by
Emma Terveer. The freshman came around to score three at-bats later on pinch hit single to center by Schaar.
Jenna Helgeson and Sjerven led the team each going 2-for-3, while Thompson and Schaar added a single apiece.
Makenzie Merritt started for the Wolves throwing 6.0 innings in her fifth win of the season. The freshman gave up just three hits and struck out two. Fisher entered in the seventh and earned her fourth save of the season.
Northern will hit the road for eight games next week against Minot State, MSU Moorhead, Upper Iowa, and Winona State in the final week of the regular season. The Wolves will face the Beavers beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the Dragons at 2 p.m. on Thursday, the Peacocks at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the Warriors at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
