MANKATO — A five-hit day from Abby Russell and a complete-game pitching performance from Karlie Miller weren’t enough to earn the Southwest Minnesota State University baseball game a win in its doubleheader against Minot State on Saturday. The Mustangs led in both games, but a seventh-inning two-run double gave Minot State the 4-2 win in the first game and a fifth-inning RBI double gave them the 3-2 lead that they held on to in the second.

The games were originally slated to be played at Mustang Field in Marshall, but inclement weather forced the doubleheader to be relocated to Minnesota State’s Maverick All-Sports Dome.

GAME 1

SMSU 2

The game was tied at two runs apiece when Minot State rallied in the top of the seventh. Abby Lohse started the rally when she reached base on a throwing error by SMSU second baseman Lexi Ingalls and advanced to third base when Micaela Resler reached base on an error by SMSU first baseman Paris Van Dyke.

With runners on the corners and two outs, Sara VanWickler hit a two-run double to left-center field to give Minot State a 4-2 lead.

Brynn Webber was hit by a pitch and Ava Rud singled up the middle to put the tying run on first with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Riley Kramolisch struck out swinging to end the game.

Miller tossed the complete game, striking out six batters while allowing two earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks. Still, defensive errors and a lack of run support dropped her to 9-6 on the season with the loss.

Taylor Smith hit a solo home run in the second inning to give Minot State an early lead, but SMSU surged ahead in the third. Kramolisch reached base on a fielding error by Minot State second baseman Abbey Kelley, and Abby Russell drove Kramolisch in to tie the game when she singled and shortstop Taylor Smith committed a throwing error. Russell then went on to score the go-ahead run on an Emma Humpal ground out.

Reegan Floyd improved to 10-4 on the season in the circle for Minot State, allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

The Beavers tied the game up in the fourth inning when Sarah Misner doubled to score Smith and knot up the score at two runs apiece.

Van Wickler and Russell each had two hits for their respective teams in the game. Van Wickler was the only player with multiple RBIs in the game and the only player with multiple extra-base hits, logging a double and a triple.

SMSU 2

Minot State broke the 2-2 tie in the fifth inning of game 2. While Van Wickler was at the plate to make the go-ahead hit in the first game, she was on base to score what would be the game-winning run in the second. She reached base on a double to right-center field with one out and scored when Paige Kellogg followed up with another double. Still, SMSU pitcher Jordyn Marsh got a strikeout and a groundout to prevent any further damage.

A Russell single, a Van Dyke walk and a Marsh fielder’s choice put Van Dyke and Marsh on base with two outs in the sixth inning, but a strikeout left SMSU shy of the tying run.

In the Mustangs’ last chance in the bottom of the seventh, Ingalls hit a leadoff single and was replaced on first by pinch runner Peyton Verdon. A Hafermann sacrifice bunt advanced Verdon into scoring position and she got to third on a Kramolisch ground out. She tried to stretch the play to home on a poor throw from first base into left field, but she was tagged out at the plate to end the game.

Marsh falls to 6-3 on the season after allowing one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts over three innings. Morgyn Otte left her start with a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

Russell had a game-tying and go-ahead hit in the game. In the first inning, Russell hit a single down the right-field line to score Kramolisch for a 1-0 Mustang lead after Kramolisch hit a leadoff double. In the third inning while trailing 2-1, Russell followed up a Kramolisch single with an RBI double into left-center field to tie the game at two runs apiece.

Jasmine Blizzard improved her record to 8-5 on the season after allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk over a complete-game effort. She also struck out three batters.

Minot State first took the lead in the third inning. Van Wickler singled before scoring on a Kellogg double, and Smith singled in Kellogg to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Beavers.

Kramolisch and Russell each tallied three hits in the game, including a double for each, with Kramolisch adding two runs and Russell adding two RBIs. Van Wickler tallied three hits for Minot State while Kellogg contributed two doubles and two RBIs.