Squaring off with No. 9-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato on the road Saturday, the Southwest Minnesota State softball team could muster only four hits on the day as the Mavericks swept the Mustangs in Mankato.
In SMSU's last road series of the year, MSU-Mankato won 3-0 in Game 1 and 2-0 in Game 2.
In Game 1, Mavericks' pitcher Kendra Huettl struck out 11 and had a no-hitter going into the final inning.
After the Mustangs' Krista Steen popped out for the first out, Kaley Scearcy broke up the no-no with a double to center field. Amy Dreesseen followed Scearcy's hit with a single, but SMSU could not get onto the scoreboard. Chelsea Riordan led MSU-Mankato at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
In Game 2, the Mavericks got on the board early with two runs in the bottom of the second. With two runners on, Riordan drove in a pair of runs on a single, helping get both runners in after getting caught in a rundown.
Scearcy got a leadoff single in the top of the second, and in the fifth, Christine Borowiak belted a two-out single for SMSU's only hits in Game 2.
Courtney McKelvogue picked up the victory for MSU-Mankato, striking out six in a complete game.
Starting on Tuesday against Concordia-St. Paul, SMSU closes out the regular season with three straight home doubleheaders.
Game 1
SMSU000 000 0-0 2 2
MSU010 101 X-3 6 0
SMSU-Chelsey Evans; MSU-Kendra Huettl. WP-Huettl. LP-Evans. 2B: SMSU-Kaley Scearcy; MSU-Lindsay Erickson, Chelsea Riordan. LOB: SMSU-5; MSU-6.
Game 2
SMSU000 000 0-0 2 2
MSU020 000 X-2 6 3
SMSU-Rachel Hoeppner; MSU-Courtney McKelvogue. WP-McKelvogue. LP-Hoeppner. 3B: MSU-Melanie Upchurch. 2B: MSU-Lindsay Erickson, Abby Sonner. LOB: SMSU-7; MSU-4.