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A trio of Warriors freshmen delivered home runs and senior pitcher Kristen Fossell picked up her second complete-game victory in as many days as WSU defeated No. 12 Southwest Minnesota State 8-1 Friday in the second round of the Division II North Central Region tournament.
It was the Warriors seventh win in a row and third consecutive win over SMSU (39-11). The sixth-seeded Warriors (37-13) advance to face top seed and tournament host Emporia State (42-15) in the third round of the North Central Region tournament at 10 a.m. today.
“This time of year you want to get hot and stay shot,” WSU coach Greg Jones said. “The kids are feeling good, we’re pitching well, we’re hitting well. I just hope it goes on for two more days.”
Warriors freshman Callie Givens began the home run barrage with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. WSU was only getting started.
Warriors freshmen Mollie Bjelland and Annie Stuedemann each hit two-run home runs to highlight a five-run top of the third inning as WSU took a 6-0 lead over three-time reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference pitcher of the year Amanda Johnson.
“The impressive part to me is that all three home runs came from freshmen,” Jones said. “To see that on this stage, at this level is very impressive.”
The five-run third turned out to be more than enough breathing room for Fossell.
Fossell worked seven innings for the second day in a row, and struck out five while allowing just six hits, one walk and one earned run. She gave up lead-off doubles in four of the first five innings, but managed to work out of trouble with minimal damage each time.
Fossell pitched a complete game and struck out four in the Warriors 2-1 win over Central Missouri on Thursday.
Bjelland finished 2-for-4 and Stuedemann and Givens each went 1-for-4. WSU’s Terra Halron went 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base, while Amanda Wilhelm went 1-for-3 with a double, run and an RBI.
Erin Dickhausen went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run to lead SMSU.
“It only gets tougher,” Jones said. “Our big thing is to keep pitching well and making outs on defense. Our M.O. isn’t going to change, we just have to keep executing.”
