MSU softball team pounds out win against Fort Lewis

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Minnesota State's Kelly Wood catches a pop fly as Fort Lewis' Cierra Walters races back to first base during their NCAA Division II Softball Central Regional game Friday at MSU. Pat Christman

May 4, 2012

MSU softball team pounds out win against Fort Lewis

By Mark Fischenich Free Press Sports Editor The Mankato Free Press Fri May 04, 2012, 10:45 PM CDT

MANKATO — You couldn’t blame the Minnesota State Mavericks if they felt they had something to prove in Friday’s opening round of the NCAA Division II Central Region softball tournament.

Their first-round opponent, Fort Lewis University out of Durango, Colo., entered the competition having hit 25 more home runs and wielding a team batting average 26 points higher than the Mavericks.

But MSU demonstrated they could hit the ball a little bit, too, pounding out 13 hits — including six for extra bases — in an 11-3, six-inning victory over the Skyhawks. MSU first baseman Kelly Wood and catcher Lindsay Erickson, who combined to go 7 for 7 with seven RBIs, admitted they were anxious to show Fort Lewis they could move the ball around the park.

“I saw (their stats) before the tournament,” Wood said. “They had some impressive numbers but a lot of that has to do with the pitching your seeing and the competition you’re playing against. We come out of a pretty strong league; in no way did we think we might be overmatched.”

Fort Lewis demonstrated its power in the top of the second when Natalie Janes led off with a towering home run to left-center that hit halfway up the scoreboard. Not to be out-done, Lindsay Erickson answered in the third with a solo shot to right center.

“It felt good to hit one after they did,” Erickson said. “But we weren’t trying to do anything special; we just wanted to hit the ball hard like we always do.”

MSU took the lead early against the Skyhawks, rallying for four runs in the bottom of the first. RBI singles by Wood and Abby Sonner and a run-scoring double by Brittani Robinson led the rally.

Fort Lewis trailed 6-2 after three innings when consecutive singles with nobody out in the fourth prompted MSU coach Lori Meyer to relieve starter Kendra Huettl with Courtney McKelvogue. McKelvogue pitched two-hit, shutout ball the rest of the way.

“I just felt Fort Lewis was gaining some momentum so that’s why I made the change when I did,” Meyer said. “Although their home run was legit, it’s not like they were bouncing balls off the fence or anything; I just felt a change might be good at that point.”

McKelvogue said she was ready.

“Kenny I have been relieving each other for two years now so it’s not a big deal,” she said. “I think maybe I had a better feel for the zone today than she did, but it could be the opposite tomorrow, you just don’t know.”

McKelvogue struck out four without walking a batter in her 2 2/3 innings stint. Huettl allowed two earned run on seven hits, fanned seven and walked one.

Wood ended up 4 for 4 with a double and four RBIs. Erickson was 3 for 3 with a triple, a home run and drove in two. Chelsea Erickson and Robinson finished with two hits apiece.

Cierra Walters led Fort Lewis with three hits. Teammate Natalie Janes had two hits, including the monstrous second-inning homer.

MSU (48-8) takes on Concordia University at 11 a.m. today. Fort Lewis meets Minnesota Duluth at 1:30 p.m.

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