Winona, Minn. --- The Minnesota State softball team saw its 2009 season come to an end Saturday evening with a 4-2 loss to Wayne State in the 2009 NCAA Division II Regional Softball tournament held in Winona, Minn.
The loss concludes MSU’s season with a 39-17 record.
Minnesota State scored first in the top of the second as junior catcher Kelsey Thompson singled to center. Thompson moved up a base when sophomore first baseman Julie O’Neal grounded out to second and then came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of freshman shortstop Amity Livingston.
The two pitchers then locked in a pitchers battle until the bottom of the fifth when Wayne State would score.
The Wildcats pounded five hits in the bottom of the fifth – including three doubles and a home run – to chase MSU starting pitcher Kendra Huettl and open a 4-1 advantage and never look back.
MSU would add a run in the top of the seventh as Thompson homered to center, her second of the day and 13th of the season. The 13 homeruns pushed Thompson into a tie for the school’s single-season home run record, a mark she shares with Abby Wagner (2005-08).
The Mavericks continued its threat as O’Neal singled and moved to second on a groundout. Pinch-hitter Libbie Reichling singled to left and was replaced by Livingston to put runners at the corners.
WSU hurler Katie Goetzinger would get a flyout and a ground out to escape the inning with minimal damage and secure the win for Wayne State.
Huettl took the loss for MSU, dropping her record to 21-9 on the season. She went 4.2 innings allowing six hits and four runs – all earned – while striking out one.
Senior Brooke McKelvogue worked the final 1.1 innings of relief and allowed two hits and no runs.
Thompson was the only Maverick to record a multi-hit game as she went 2-of-3 from the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
Goettzinger went the distance, allowing two runs - both earned – on five hits while striking out two.
NOTES: MSU has set a new team record for home runs in a season with 48, passing 47 home runs hit by the 2007 squad…Final game for second baseman Katie Reed, pitcher Brooke McKelvogue and rightfielder Jess Anderson…Anderson finished her career a .324 hitter while Reed was a .296 hitter…McKelvogue went 38-18 as a Maverick and posted a 2.99 earned run average.
