SALEM, Va.—A pair of home runs in the second and third innings proved to be the difference maker as University of Southern Indiana Softball suffered a 5-0 setback to No. 6 Minnesota State University-Mankato in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Thursday night.

The first of the home runs was a solo shot with one out in the bottom of the second inning off the bat of senior third baseman Samantha Buhmann, while the second was a back-breaking three-run shot in the third frame that went off the glove of a leaping Olivia Clark-Kittleson (Carbondale, Illinois) that gave the Mavericks a commanding 5-0 lead. The home run, off the bat of freshman first baseman Amber Kral, capped off a four-run third inning for the Mavericks.

NFCA Division II Player of the Year Coley Ries held the No. 9 Screaming Eagles' offense at bay as USI was held to just five hits and six base runners.

USI (46-13), which was shutout for just the third time this year, had runners at first and second with one out in both the fourth and seventh innings as the Eagles looked to make a comeback. However, a strikeout and a pop-up in the fourth ended USI's threat, while a game-ending double-play in the seventh ended any chance for an Eagles' comeback.

Ries (37-3) earned the win for the Mavericks, who improved to 60-7 on the year. She racked up seven strikeouts and issued just one walk in the complete-game victory.

Freshman pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) suffered the loss after giving up five runs off four hits in three innings of work. She falls to 29-3 with the setback.

USI faces the loser of the game between Armstrong Atlantic State University and the University of West Florida Friday at 5:30 p.m. (CDT). The game will be aired on WSWI 95.7 FM, while live stats and video can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.