SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- The Minnesota State softball team was able to pick up a win against Minnesota Duluth (10-1) and Upper Iowa (2-1) Sunday afternoon, but it ultimately fell to the Peacocks 3-2 in the NSIC Tournament championship game. MSU now owns a 44-15 overall record.

The Mavericks began the day with a 10-1 victory over Minnesota Duluth in five innings. Junior Coley Ries (27-6) picked up the win for MSU as she allowed just one hit, while striking out seven batters in four innings of work. Sam Hartmann (18-7) took the loss as she gave up 10 runs, seven earned, in 2.2 innings.

MSU wasted no time jumping out in front 2-0 as sophomore Jess Meidl plated the game's first two runs in the bottom of the first with a double to left center. The bottom of the second saw the Mavericks add three more runs to go up 5-0. Freshman Cori Kennedy opened the inning with a walk, before freshman McKenzie Paap and junior Dana Mogren loaded the bases with a single and a walk, respectively. Kennedy, Paap and Mogren would eventually come around to score on a dropped fly ball from the UMD center fielder.

The Mavericks tallied another five runs in the bottom of the third to go up 10-0. Senior Karli DesLauriers drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI-double, before Kennedy came around to score on a throwing error. Mogren then notched a two-run single to right field, before Meidl drove in her third run of the game with a single down the left field line before the Bulldogs got out of the inning.

The Bulldogs managed to get one run back in the top of the fifth but that was all they could muster as MSU locked down the 10-1 win.

DesLauriers, Meidl and Paap each recorded two hits against the Bulldogs, with Meidl driving in a team-high three runs. Paap scored three runs as well.  

MSU's first encounter with Upper Iowa Sunday afternoon proved to be a marathon as the Mavericks edged out a 2-1 win in 16 innings. MSU's 16-inning victory is the longest game it has played in the last 15 seasons.

Ries (28-6) picked up her second win of the day as she struck out 22 batters in a complete game effort compared to zero walks and seven hits. Jacqueline Flood took the loss as she gave up one run, in six innings of work in relief. Brooke Redmond earned a no decision as she gave up just one run on nine hits in nine innings. Ries' 22 strikeouts were just two shy of her single-game record of 24 set against Winona State earlier this season.

After five complete innings, the Mavericks and Peacocks were tied 1-1. Paap put the Mavericks up 1-0 in the bottom of the third as she tallied a solo home run down the right field line. Upper Iowa knotted up the score in the top of the fifth as Jenny Buds scored on a wild pitch.

As the game went into extra innings both teams had opportunities to get a runner across the plate. MSU managed to load the bases with two gone in the bottom of the ninth, but Redmond was able to get Mogren to line out to end the threat.

The top of the 10th saw the Peacocks get two runners on base with two outs, which included a single from Riley Kruel. Ries was able to end the threat as she struck out Sami Kay Safranski to end the inning.

Ries kept the Peacock in check through the final six innings of the game as she allowed just one hit and three total base runners. With one out in the top of the 16th, Ries hit Flood but was able to get Erica Kirgan to line into an inning-ending double play.

The bottom of the 16th saw junior Ashley Thell lead off with a double to left field. Thell then advanced to third on a wild pitch and eventually came around to score the winning run on a fielding error by the second baseman.

Junior Samantha Buhmann finished MSU's first game against Upper Iowa with a game-high four hits, with both Paap and Thell following with three hits each.

Despite winning its first two games of the day, Minnesota State was not able to come away with its third NSIC Tournament championship as it fell to Upper Iowa 3-2 in the championship game. Upper Iowa will now receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament.

Redmond (20-6) earned the win for the Peacocks as she gave up just two runs, on five hits, in 5.1 innings. Flood earned the save as she set down all five Mavericks she faced. Sophomore Libby Bemis (14-9) took the loss as she gave up three runs, on six hits, in the complete game effort.

The final game of the day remained scoreless through the first two innings as Redmond and Bemis allowed just one hit each. The top of the third saw Kruel record a single with one out. After moving up to second on a ground out, Kruel crossed the plate as Flood drove her in with a single up the middle to put UIU up 1-0. The next inning saw Upper Iowa go up 2-0 as Tara Walls led off the inning with a solo home run down the left field line.

MSU managed to get a run back in the bottom of the fourth as Buhmann drilled a solo home run to center field, but the Peacocks managed to reclaim the two-run lead in the top of the sixth as Tara Duran drove in Flood with an infield single.

Trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Mavericks looked stage a comeback as senior Tatum Klein led off the inning with a bunt single. A fly out by Mogren moved Klein up to second, who was then driven in with an RBI-double from Thell to bring the Mavericks within one at 3-2. This was as close as MSU would get as Flood, who  replaced Redmond in the circle, set down the final five Mavericks in order to lock down the win for the Peacocks.  

The Mavericks will learn their NCAA Tournament fate at the NCAA Selection Show. The selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com on Monday, at 9:00 a.m.

To view the selection show click HERE

Minnesota State's NSIC All-Tournament Team Honorees
Coley Ries - 4-1, 0.92 ERA, 49 K, 38.0 IP
Tatum Klein - .364 avg., 8 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB
Jess Meidl - .350 avg., 7 H, 5 RBI, 1 R, 3 SB
McKenzie Paap - .333 avg., 8 H, 8 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI


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