MSU 11, FLC 3 (6 innings)

MANKATO, Minn. — Minnesota State (48-8), the nation's No. 6 team and top seed in the NCAA Division II Central Regional playoffs, relied on a big first inning to defeat eighth-seeded Fort Lewis (30-25) 11-3 in six innings today at the Diamond at Gage Towers.

The Mavericks put up four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an early, 4-0 lead and survived the middle frames where the pesky Skyhawks, playing in the NCAA tournament for just the second time in school history, flirted with big innings of their own.

“I think both teams hit the ball very well,” said second-year FLC head coach Kira Zeiter. “Both teams played really hard.”

Minnesota State, which improved to 4-0 all-time against the Skyhawks, pounded out 13 hits, including six that went for extra bases. Catcher Lindsay Erickson went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in, belting a solo homer (her tenth of the year) to right center in the third and scorching a line drive down the right field line to plate another run in the fourth.

MSU starting pitcher Kendra Huettl came into the game as one of the region's most feared pitchers, sporting a 20-3 record with a 1.10 earned run average and 197 strikeouts. Opponents had hit just .170 off her.

Fort Lewis managed to chase Minnesota State's ace after 3.1 innings, though. Huettl allowed seven hits and three runs (two earned), including a solo home run by FLC's Natalie Janes (her tenth of the year) that caromed off the scoreboard in left center. Janes finished 2-for-3.

Cierra Walters went 3-for-4 for the Skyhawks and scored a run. Hayley Bolyard, Erica Conley, Destinee DeHerrera, and Stephanie Janes also collected hits.

Fort Lewis stranded nine baserunners, leaving the bases loaded in the third after they'd trimmed the lead to 4-2.

Courtney McKelvogue relieved Huettl and worked the final 2.2 innings to pick up the victory, limiting FLC to no runs and just a pair of hits.

Kelly Wood went 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored for MSU. Chelsea Erickson was 2-for-3, while Brittani Robinson was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.

Fort Lewis' Kassie Haubert (12-8) pitched five innings and faced four batters in the sixth before being lifted for reliever Olivia Bergman trailing 10-3. Bergman faced just one batter – Wood, who singled to left to put the 11th run across the plate, ending the game due to the eight-run rule.

Minnesota State faces fifth-seeded Concordia-St. Paul (31-21), which defeated fourth-seeded Minnesota-Duluth (37-21) 7-5 in today's fourth game at 10 a.m. (MDT) tomorrow.

Fort Lewis will face Minnesota-Duluth at 1:30 p.m. (MDT) tomorrow in the loser's bracket. The winner of the FLC/UMD game will face the loser of the MSU/CUSP game at 3 p.m. (MDT). The loser of the FLC/UMD game will be eliminated.

“We're looking forward to coming out tomorrow and playing really well,” said Zeiter.