SALEM, Virginia – The No. 1 Angelo State softball team dropped the first game of the NCAA Division II National Championship series 5-1 to No. 2 Minnesota State on Sunday afternoon at Moyer Stadium.

The Rambelles (60-6) will now have to win both games against the Mavericks (63-7) tomorrow to win the program's second national title with the second game scheduled to begin on Monday at 12 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. CST and game three of the series at 2:30 p.m. EST / 1:30 p.m. CST. ASU was limited to just three hits and struck out 11 times. Minnesota State recorded five runs on nine hits.

Down 5-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, Angelo State wouldn't go quietly. Courtney Barnhill drew a leadoff walk. An error on a sacrifice bunt allowed Teagan Kirk to reach and put two on. Alexis Evans drilled a ball to left field that the Minnesota State left fielder made an extraordinary effort on a ball that was ruled an error to score Barnhill from second. MSU's Coley Ries ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts and a pop-up for the final of 5-1.   

Bailey Wallace finished with two of ASU's hits while Madison Greenwell recorded the third.

The Mavericks took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second scoring two runs on a single down the field line. Brandy Marlett started the game and limited the damage to just two runs through the first five innings.

A solo home run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh extended the lead to 5-0 before ASU scored in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Marlett was credited with the loss giving up four runs on nine hits. It is just the junior's fifth loss of the season.

Game two and three will be carried locally on 100.1 KCLL with Jeremy Bryant on the call.