Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2

WINONA, Minn. – Freshly minted with its highest ever national ranking, the No. 3 Winona State softball team claimed a pair of victories over St. Cloud State Wednesday in Winona. The Warriors shutout the Huskies behind a two-hitter in game one, 3-0, and claimed game two on a walk-off single by Kaitlin Hardie, 2-1.

Warrior pitching was absolutely overpowering, allowing just four hits and one run in the doubleheader. Struzynski allowed just two hits while striking out nine in the opening game. Britt Stewart followed with a two-hitter of her own, giving up only a solo home run in the fifth.

Winona State is now 25-2 overall and 6-0 in NSIC play. The team has outscored its opponents 47-9 in conference games.

The Warriors got on the board right away in game one, getting a sacrifice fly and a 1-0 lead in the first inning from Stewart. Consecutive doubles by Morgan Lintz and Kaitlin Hardie added another run in the fourth while Molly Link hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning.

Link was 3-for-3 in the opening game and 5-of-7 in the doubleheader. Hardie also had a pair of hits in two at bats in the opener.

WSU also took an early lead in game two with Kim Wachholder hitting a first inning solo homer. The Huskies came back to tie the game in the fifth, with the contest eventually going to extra innings.

Stewart led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and a Jessica Kullmann base hit putting two runners on with one out. Hardie came through with a single to center that scored Stewart, lifting the Warriors to a 2-1 victory.

Stewart ended the game with two hits at the plate while also striking out one in the circle while moving her record to 7-0.

Winona State will continue conference play Saturday when it travels to Upper Iowa for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.