WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Lauren Lindgren smashed her first home run of the season to continue her torrid pace at the plate, but Nebraska-Kearney scored runs in each of the first five innings to pull away from the Mustangs, 9-3, on Friday morning at the MSU Texas Invitational held at Mustangs Park.

Down 2-0 in the bottom of the first, Lindgren hammered a 1-1 offering over the wall in left to cut the deficit to 2-1. The senior is hitting .428 with four RBI through the season's first eight games. 

After the Lopers pushed across a run in the third on an Alexis Ray single, the Mustangs quickly tied the game. With runners at first and second and one out, Anna Williams laced a run scoring single to right. During the next at bat, with runners at the corners, Williams tried to steal second and was thrown out. But Kelsey Eropkin broke for the plate and scored easily to tie the game at 3-3.

The Lopers scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 5-3 lead before breaking the game open with a three-run fifth. Carlee Leisch, who finished 2-for-4, delivered the key hit in the frame with a two-run single.

UNK added a run in the the seventh.

Jacey Henry (0-3) suffered the loss in the circle after yielding eight runs (seven earned) in five innings. The right-hander surrendered 11 hits. 

Midwestern State continues play at the MSU Texas Invitational this afternoon against Northwestern Oklahoma State.