DENTON, Texas – The Midwestern State University softball team picked up a pair of big wins to advance to the championship game on Sunday at the Texas Woman's University Tournament at Pioneer Field.

MSU (6-3) defeated No. 3 Emporia State (Kan.) 7-4 on Saturday morning, then avenged Friday's loss to host Texas Woman's by edging the Pioneers 1-0 in Saturday evening's semifinal.

In the first game, the Mustangs and Hornets were deadlocked 3-3 after four innings, when MSU broke the game open in the fifth.

MSU got three runs in the frame as with RBI singles from Kelli Shaw and Amanda Hill to go with an RBI ground out by Cheyanne Paschal.

MSU added an insurance run in the fifth inning on a bases loaded walk to Hill that plated Kristen Stonecipher.

Ashley Kuchenski went the distance in game one, scattering 12 hits and striking out three to move to 2-0 on the year.  Courtney Reed took the loss for Emporia.

Paschal was 2-for-5 in the first game to lead the Mustangs at the plate.

Game two saw MSU score an unearned run in the top of the first and make it stand to return the favor to TWU on Friday.

Paschal led off the game by reaching on an error by TWU's Amanda Emory, then reaching third on Miranda Bishop's single.  A passed ball by Pioneer catcher Kaley Frye plated Pascal for the game's only run.

MSU freshman Katie Petersen went the distance for the win on the hill, with five strikeouts and allowing just four hits with a walk to up her record to 4-3 on the season.

TWU's Lindsy Russ-Keller scattered five hits and struck out three for the Pioneers.

Bishop was 2-for-4 at the plate for the Mustangs, with Jessica Rodriguez, Paschal and Hill getting the other safeties for MSU.

Emporia State defeated St. Edward's 5-3 in the late semifinal Saturday to set up Sunday's action.

St. Ed's faces Texas Woman's in the consolation game at 10 a.m., with MSU and Emporia squaring off for the tournament title at 12:30 p.m.