ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Winona State softball team recorded its second consecutive walk-off win, with Jessica Kullmann blasting a two-run home run that gave the Warriors a 14-6 six-inning victory over Concordia-St. Paul Friday in the NSIC Tournament.
The Warriors scored multiple runs in three of the first four innings and had five extra base hits in the game. The win advances the Warriors to the third day of the tournament after also picking up a win over Minnesota Duluth Friday.
Winona State will play Augustana Saturday at 11 am, the first of a possible three games on the day for the Warriors.
The Warriors fell behind again in the first inning against the Golden Bears, giving up a two-run homer to right field that put CU up 2-0.
Winona State got both runs back in the bottom of the first, scoring three on a pair of extra base hits. Molly Link singled with one out and advanced to second on a CU throwing error. Kim Wachholder traded places with Link, doubling to left that plated the Warriors’ first run. Crudo followed with another double that tied the game at two. A Britt Stewart single plated Crudo to give WSU a 3-2 lead.
The Warriors added to their lead in the second, getting singles by Melissa Reyes and Brooke Piotrowski to lead off the inning. Both runners scored on a single by Link that put WSU up 5-2. Stewart singled later in the frame to score another run and was followed by a two-run double by Sam Hildebrandt that moved the lead to 8-2.
CU scored three in the third on a trio of RBI hits to move the score to 8-5 in favor of the Warriors.
Winona State added four to its lead in the fourth, beginning with a leadoff solo homer by Wachholder. Hildebrandt and Kullmann started a two out rally for the Warriors with back-to-back singles. Kaitlin Hardie and Melissa Reyes recorded back to back RBI singles that pushed the Warrior advantage to 12-5.
CU hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth but the Warriors ended the game on Kullmann’s home run off the scoreboard in right-center. The Warriors also had a walk-off win against Minnesota Duluth earlier in the day.
Stewart picked up the win in the circle to move her record to 12-3 on the year while Kelsey Anderson pitched three innings to earn the save.
Link had three hits and two RBI in the game, making her 6-of-7 with four RBI in WSU’s games Friday. Hildebrandt also had three hits against CU while five other Warriors recorded multiple hits in the game.
Winona State is now 42-9 overall on the season.