Rochester, Minn. --- The seventh-ranked and top-seeded Minnesota State softball team used a complete-game one-hitter from senior righthander Kendra Huettl en route to a 2-0 victory over eight-seeded Wayne State College in the opening round of the NSIC tournament Thursday afternoon.

The Mavericks (44-8) now face fourth-seeded Minnesota Duluth Friday morning at 11 a.m. in the second round of the double-elimination tournament. The Bulldogs won their opening game by a tally of 2-0 over U-Mary.

Minnesota State jumped on board first as sophomore leftfielder Lauryn Morris blasted a one-out triple to left center to start the Maverick half of the first before touching the plate when sophomore catcher Lindsay Erickson - the NSIC Player of the Year – singled to left field for MSU’s first run of the game.

The base paths would remain relatively vacant until the sixth inning when freshman third baseman Brittani Robinson

singled before being lifted for sophomore pinch runner Eryn Edgerton.  Edgerton then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of designated player Chelsea Riordan before advancing to third on a hard single off the at bat of senior second baseman Amanda Umhoefer.

Edgerton scored when Upchurch reached on an error as MSU took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning.

The two runs were all that Huettl would need as she struck out the side in the top of the seventh to secure the win.

Huettl would allow just three base runners all day – yielding the lone hit and a pair of walks – while striking out 12.  The one-hitter marked the sixth time this season that Huettl has allowed just one hit.

Umhoefer and Lindsay Erickson each had a two-hit performance for Minnesota State in the victory.

Amanda Umhoefer talks about the win