By: Nolan Schmidt

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – 10th-seeded MSU Moorhead softball collected its fourth consecutive victory on Wednesday afternoon in the NSIC Tournament First Round. The Dragons used more late-inning heroics to upend seventh-seeded Minot State, 4-1. 

The win is the first postseason victory in the tenure of Vanessa Kellems. It is also the third straight season the Dragons have won a game in the NSIC Tournament after a 15-year drought of postseason appearances. 
 
Both starting pitchers would begin the game with gusto as Dragon starter Teagan Clemmons held the Beavers to just one hit with four strikeouts across the first two innings. Minot State starter Reegan Floyd would hold the Dragons without a hit in the same span. Clemmons would help her own cause in the top of the third inning, earning the first Dragon hit on a single. However, the sophomore would not advance beyond first base, keeping the game scoreless. After Clemmons earned two quick outs in the home half, Minot State would earn a pair of baserunners on base hits. Luckily Clemmons would get out of the potential jam with a fly out. 

MSUM's offense would get going in the fourth inning as Annika Norman would single to begin the frame, advancing to second on a Beaver error. After Eliya Johnson reached on another Minot State mishap, Norman made her way to third base. The Dragons would go on to load the bases with no outs before falling victim to a double play. In the ensuing at-bat, Clemmons would continue to aid her cause, knocking in Johnson on an RBI single. Minot State would equalize in the home half of the fifth with the score now tied at one run each.

In the sixth inning, it was MSUM who would again come up with timely hitting as Johnson began the frame with a single. Lexie Wilson would work out a walk in the ensuing at-bat, putting two on with no one out. The Dragons would eventually load the bags with one out after another single from Clemmons, her third hit of the contest. Freshman Hailey Thurber would step into the box and proceed to drive home a run on an RBI single to give MSUM a 2-1 lead. The Dragons were not done there as fellow freshman Jessie Henry would drive in two more runs on a single with two outs. After Brynna Farman held the Beavers scoreless in the bottom half, MSUM now sat three outs away from a postseason victory.

The Beavers would fall victim to two quick ground outs from Farman to start the final half inning. After Minot State would earn a runner on a Dragon error, Farman would secure an MSUM victory with a two-out ground out. Farman collected the victory thanks to a stellar effort in relief. In the win, Henry, Norman and Clemmons would all have two or more hits.