Despite finals week approaching quickly, the Winona State University softball team wasn’t tested as much as it was expecting.
The Warriors were to participate in the Concordia-St. Paul tournament, where they were to play five of the best teams in the North Central Region, but the tournament was canceled because of rainy weather.
As a result, WSU’s only matchup was against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe Concordia-St. Paul April 9 at Maxwell Field.
Coming into the doubleheader, the Golden Bears and the Warriors were only two of three undefeated teams left in NSIC play. That all changed.
The teams split the doubleheader, with CSP winning the first game and WSU winning the second.
CSP’s Emily Schmikla pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing only five hits in the opener, leading the Golden Bears to a 6-0 win.
“I think we tried to do too much in our at-bats,” WSU coach Greg Jones said. “The first inning of the game they really set the tone on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.”
CSP’s Natalie Mast led off the game with a double and scored on an error by WSU third baseman Laura Wright.
CSP added two runs in the first and another in the second on yet another error — this time by Kristen Fossell — to take a 3-0 lead.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, Tiffani Rodd hit a double that scored three runs to give CSP a 6-0 lead and to seal the win.
Fossell pitched only three innings and allowed six hits, four runs — one earned — and struck out three.
Chelsea Ewing replaced Fossell in the fourth and pitched four innings, giving up two hits, two runs (both earned), and one walk while striking out three.
The Warriors took the first lead of Game 2 with some impressive hitting and base running by Chelsea Rosenow.
Rosenow stole second and third base and scored on a passed ball to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
CSP scored three runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead, but WSU got one back with some more impressive base running by Rosenow.
She managed to get from first to home again on two errors and a passed ball, cutting the lead to 3-2.
WSU took the lead back in the sixth inning, and, again, it was Rosenow taking advantage of the situation.
Rosenow slapped a double to score two runs, giving WSU a 4-3 lead.
Rosenow and Amanda Wilhelm each scored on passed balls later in the inning to give the Warriors a 6-3 lead.
With two outs in the seventh, CSP’s Nicole Tischer reached on an error and Abby Brundidge followed with an RBI double, but the Bears couldn’t generate any more offense.
Rosenow went 2-for-3 with a single, a double and a walk. She added three runs, two RBIs and two stolen bases.
WSU took advantage of four errors and eight passed balls.
“I thought we ran the bases real aggressively,” Jones said. “We found different ways to create offense. (Struzynski) kept them off the scoreboard until we could do what we needed to do.”
Stacey Struzynski, the Warriors’ freshman phenom, pitched seven innings and allowed four runs — three earned — and struck out eight.
The Warriors (22-9, 8-1) control their own destiny, as they will play the top team in the NSIC, Southwest Minnesota State, on the road Thursday before playing in their second NSIC crossover this weekend.
“The level of importance is that it’s going to be a big week,” Jones said. “It’s going to be nine games in one week, and the script is going to be written in that week.”
The Warriors will play five games in two days against Mary (N.D.), MSU-Moorhead, UM-Crookston, Bemidji State and Northern State.