MANKATO, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team went 1-1 Sunday afternoon in Mankato, Minn., falling 19-0 to Saint Mary's University of Minnesota before defeating Hamline University 6-5.
 
GAME 1
Alyssa Thornton opened the game with a two-out walk in the first inning but was left on base. The Cardinals struck early, pushing three runs across in the first. SMU continued to extend its lead as UMM struggled to generate offense.
 
Thornton drew another walk in the fourth for the Cougars' next baserunner. Kendra Schmitz recorded Minnesota Morris' first hit to put two runners on with two outs, but the inning ended on the team's 10th strikeout. St. Mary's used a big fourth inning to pull away for the 19-0 win.
 
UMM had three baserunners in the contest, with Thornton drawing two walks and Schmitz adding a hit. Thornton pitched three innings, recording one strikeout, no walks, and allowing four earned runs. Marissa Anderson made her season debut in the circle and added a strikeout.
 
GAME 2
After a clean first inning defensively, GingerAnn Lucas drew a leadoff walk. Olivia Losee reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second after Schmitz grounded out. Thornton drove in the first run of the game with a single to third base to give UMM a 1-0 lead after one inning.
 
Ro Diver led off the third with a single up the middle, followed by a single from Losee to put runners on the corners. Thornton drove in two more runs with a single down the right-field line to extend the lead to 3-0 after three innings.
 
Hamline cut into the deficit with a run in the fifth and then took the lead in the sixth with a four-run inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Mary Landherr singled to left-center, and Kennedy Biegler followed with another single. A passed ball advanced the pinch runners with one out. Ashley Albert singled to second base to score one run. An error and a dropped third strike allowed another run to score, tying the game. Elise Stewart scored the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to give UMM a 6-5 lead.

Thornton pitched the final inning to secure the victory, earning the Cougars their first win of the season.
 
Thornton and Landherr led the team with two hits each. The Cougars recorded a season-high eight hits in the win, with Albert, Losee, Biegler, and Diver also adding singles. Thornton drove in three runs, while Albert and Stewart each recorded their first RBIs of the season. Lucas drew both of the team's walks.
 
In the circle, Morgan Wilhelm started the game and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and five earned runs. Thornton earned the win, pitching the final 1.1 innings while allowing two hits and no earned runs.
 
The Cougars will have a short break before traveling to Hawaii for spring break competition beginning March 9 against Kenyon College at 2 p.m.