The Winona State University softball team opened NSIC play with a sweep on the road, taking on Upper Iowa University.   

Winona State would score seven runs in the first two innings of game one, earning a lengthy lead early on. They would then tack on ten more runs in the final three frames to claim the win in six innings.  

Marissa Mullen and Carly Engelhardt combined for a monster game at the plate, with Mullen going 3-for-3 and Engelhardt 5-for-5. Together, the two would account for 12 of the runs batted in.  

Mullen collected two home runs and Libby Neveau added one. As a team, Winona State had eight extra-base hits, led by Engelhardt with three doubles.  

“The entire team worked well together against Upper Iowa,” Engelhardt said. “It seemed our offense was finally finding its groove.”  

That certainly seemed to be the case, as the 18 base hits in the game accounted for a new season high as a team, eclipsing the 11-hit mark set previously.  

In the circle, Abbie Hlas went the first five innings to claim the win. She struck out four, walked two and allowed seven runs, five of which were earned. Skylar Calmes took over for the sixth inning, holding Upper Iowa hitless with a strikeout among the four batters she faced.  

In game two, Upper Iowa would score first, but Winona State bounced back to pull away from the Peacocks in a 6-2 Warrior win.  

The Warriors responded to Upper Iowa’s first inning score with two runs of their own in the second inning, once in the fourth, and three times in the sixth along with an excellent pitching performance from Abby Smith.  

Smith struck out eight while walking one batter and holding the Peacocks to just two runs, both earned. With this victory, Smith moved to 10-2 on the year, and accounted for her eighth complete game of the season. 

Keeping the streak of a fiery offense, Winona State was led by Mullen, going 2-for-3 with a double. 

“We worked a lot on our offense in practice during the week between preseason and conference play,” Mullen said. “We saw that directly translate to success during games.”  

Macy Brodin and Ashlee Canthos also added doubles to the Warrior effort, and Savannah Serdynsky earned a stolen base. Overall, Winona State drew in six walks, three of which were by Engelhardt.  

The Warriors move their overall score up to 19-8 for the season, and 2-0 in the NSIC play. They are set to travel to the University of Sioux Falls for their next doubleheader, where they hope to gain another set of wins.