Wayne State dropped a pair of games against Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minn., on Wedneday, losing 7-1 and 3-2.
Game one saw the Mustangs take an early 1-0 lead after the first inning, scoring on a bases-loaded RBI groundout, but Wayne State came back with a run of their own int he second when Rachel Shumaker tripled down the right field line and scored on an RBI single by Abbie Hix.
The game remained knotted 1-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth before Southwest Minnesota State erupted for six runs to reclaim the lead and go on to the win. They used four hits and one Wildcat error to put up the decisive inning.
Maddie Moser was tagged with the loss, allowing six earned runs and six hits in four innings of work. Allison Niemeier and Alyx Hagen each worked one inning of scoreless relief.
The Wildcats were only able to produce one run on eight hits in the contest. Rachel Shumaker and Morgan Vasa paced Wayne State, both going 2-for-3. Katelyn Wobken, Abbie Hix, Taylor Menard and Jordyn Breitbarth also collected hits for Wayne State.
The Wildcats got on the board right away in the second game of the twinbill, as Wobken led off the game with a ground-rule double and scored on an RBI single by Emily Chandler to take an early 1-0 lead.
Southwest followed suit in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game on a Bailey Johnson single to the right side that scored Emma Grote, then added another run on three hits to take the lead for good in the second.
Wayne State evened the score 2-2 in the fifth thanks to Vasa and Chandler. Vasa singled through the left side and scored when Chandler singled to left.
The Mustangs responded with a run in the same inning. Decker led off with a single up the middle and later scored to give SMSU the lead 3-2 after a double to right center by shortstop Kali Tomlinson.
Wayne State was held hitless in the final two frames, allowing Southwest Minnesota State to earn the sweep.
Riley Vanderveen was tagged with the loss after giving up three earned runs on eight hits while striking out four in five innings. Moser pitched one inning of relief, allowing one hit and no runs.
The Wildcats scattered eight hits in game two. Wobken, Vasa and Chandler each gathered two hits for Wayne State with Chandler hitting in two runs. Menard and Breitbarth also had hits for WSC.
Wayne State (15-25, 9-12 NSIC) will close out the regular season this weekend with 1 p.m. doubleheaders at Minnesota Duluth Saturday and St. Cloud State Sunday.
