Kilat Fitzgerald / Winonan

After escaping the winter temperatures for the majority of the season, the Winona State University softball team battled the elements once again this week before defeating their opponents at in the closing games of the weekend.

At a doubleheader matchup on Tuesday in Fayette, the Warriors split victories with Upper Iowa University on their home turf.

The first game was a narrow win for Winona State as momentum swung back in the Warriors favor during the fifth inning thanks to the efforts of Chelsey Rodenkirch and her two-run home run to right center. This gave Winona State a 4-3 advantage, which eventually became the final score.

The Warriors were behind 1-0 in the first inning before they bounced back in the bottom of the third when senior Natalie Kalmes doubled to right center, scoring Rodenkirch and sophomore Jamee Schleis to fix the score 2-1.

The Peacocks answered with a pair of runs in their brief retaking of the lead during the fourth, before Rodenkirch connected on the home run to give the Warriors what they needed to win.

Senior Hanna Lythberg improved 10-2 on the hill, giving up two earned runs while allowing nine hits along with a walk and striking out a trio of batters.

The second game against Upper Iowa did not go in the Warriors’ favor and it was not as close.

Five and a half innings were dominated by a pitcher’s duel that the Peacocks managed to win.

With neither side putting runs on the board, Upper Iowa busted out with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Consecutive Winona State errors made the first run unearned.

A two-run home run by Upper Iowa kept the Warriors out of reach as they left the game scoreless with a 3-0 loss.

The Warriors had one hit each from senior outfielder Kalmes, sophomore catcher Paige Keegan and sophomore infielder Mariah Schultz, and junior catcher Jordan Petersen.

Friday’s game against Bemidji State was stunted due to a late start in the game, which canceled game two scheduled for later in the day.

The opposing Beavers gained an early lead of 2-0 with the Warriors not beginning to catch up until the bottom of the second. Kalmes was hit by a pitch to start off the inning, while McKenna Larsen singled and Keegan walked to load the bases. Junior infielder Allyson O’Herron scored the solo RBIs of the day as she hit a double to right center field to clear the bases and place the Warriors ahead 3-2.

Unfortunately, the lead was short lived as the Beavers’ scored a second home run to shift the score 4-3. A third home run at the top of the sixth closed the game in their favor 6-3.

Victory visited the Warriors on Saturday when they took on Crookston, with a pair of wins consisting of 11-1 and 6-0.

The opening game saw the Golden Eagles get behind on the scoreboard from the beginning. After a pair of RBIs from Keegan and Schultz, O’Herron and senior outfielder Reed Karsten drove in runs with base hits in the second inning, which brought Winona State to a 4-0 lead.

The Golden Eagles placed a run across in the top half of the third, but the Warriors matched with three runs of their own. By the fourth inning, the win was assured.

The Warriors continued their streak when they shut out the next game with a 6-0 final score.

Karsten had a huge contribution of three hits in four at bats with an RBI and scored two runs. She also hit a home run to center in the fifth inning to highlight the victory for the Warriors.

Winona State  (21-7, 3-2 NSIC) will have its home opener against Wayne State College on Tuesday at 1 p.m. before going on the road to face  St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota Duluth this weekend.