COCOA BEACH, Fla. - The Malone University softball team went 1-1 on Monday with a 7-2 victory over Minot State University and a 12-4 loss to the University of Minnesota Crookston. The Pioneers are now at 6-4 on the season. The Beavers of Minot State fall to 9-4 overall while Minnesota Crookston improves their record to 6-17.
 
MALONE vs MINOT STATE RECAP:
Masyn Baker got the pitching start for Malone and helped her own cause in the batter's box with an RBI single in the first. Small ball and good speed for Minot State allowed them to draw even in the third, but an error by the Beavers allowed the Pioneers to answer in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Three runs came around to score for Malone in the fourth on two hits and one error. Emma Reese started the frame with a walk, then Madi Pukansky and Marlee Pireu had consecutive hits to score a run. An error caused a second run to score and a groundout by Baker gave Malone a 5-1 advantage. Another misplay by the Beavers extended the Pioneer lead to 6-1.
 
Minot State was able to flex their muscles offensively with a homerun, but Alyssa Hochstetler answered that with an RBI of her own to get to the 7-2 final score. Baker got the win (2-1) and went 4.1 innings along with two hits and two RBIs as a hitter. A great effort out of the bullpen by Summer McCaw saw the freshman go 2.2 innings with four strikeouts and just one run on two hits.
 
MALONE vs MINNESOTA CROOKSTON RECAP:
After the Pioneers recorded a 5-3 victory in Sunday's meeting between these teams, Malone came up on the wrong end of a 12-4 result on Monday. Zoe Lesch and Lacie Quarles produced two runs in the second with a single and sacrifice fly, but the Golden Eagles immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning with two themselves.
 
An error allowed the Pioneers to take a 3-2 lead, but an error by the Malone defense allowed two unearned runs to score for Minnesota Crookston and the opponents led 5-3 after three innings. Lesch would deliver another RBI single in the sixth to plate Jessie Crookston and get the Pioneers to within one, but a crooked number for the Golden Eagles in the bottom allowed Minnesota Crookston to end the game by run-rule, 12-4.
 
Lesch was 2-for-3 at the dish with a pair of runs batted in and just ahead of her in the lineup, Crookston reached base three times on walks. Mia Rose (3-2) pitched 5.1 innings but surrendered six earned runs.
 
UP NEXT:
Malone gets a day off on Tuesday before returning to the diamond on Wednesday, March 11. The first game of the day will be against Bemijdi State University at 10:00 A.M. followed by a matchup with West Chester University of Pennsylvania at 12:15 P.M.