SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Morgan Ethen (SR/Omaha, Neb.) went 4-for-4 with two home runs to lead College of Saint Mary softball to a 15-13 win Friday night.

The Flames edged Dakota State University in the slugfest at the Dordt University Indoor Tournament.

"We definitely made the game interesting," CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "But it was good to leave with the win."

Dakota State took the early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. CSM answered with four runs in the top of the second and the Trojans plated three in the same frame to lead 5-4. Then the Flames scored two in the third and one more in the fourth to hold a 7-5 advantage after four innings. The battle went back-and-forth again when Dakota State scored three in the bottom of the fifth to go up 8-7.

CSM broke the game open with eight runs in the top of the sixth for a 15-8 margin. But the Trojans weren't ready to quit and scored five runs of their own in the same frame. Both teams threatened in the seventh, but neither team scored.

Dakota State finished with 16 hits and the Flames tallied 15. CSM had three errors defensively, compared to just one for the Trojans.

"We hit the ball well today," Bray said. "Even some of our outs were really well hit. I was proud of our ladies for battling back every time Dakota State pulled ahead. That eight-run sixth inning was a lot of fun."

Ethen led the Flames with four hits, two homers and five RBI.

"I'm really proud of Morgan," Bray said. "She's been working hard on her game and staying after practice a lot for extra reps. Her hard work really paid off tonight."

Macy Homes (SR/Wahoo, Neb.) also blasted a home run and finished with two hits. Teammates Izzy Monzon (SR/Lincoln, Neb.) and Megan Garcia (SO/Elkhorn, Neb.) both added two hits each – one of Garcia's was a double.

Adding singles for CSM were Mickayla Larsen (SR/Waverly, Neb.), Kaela Persico (FR/Bellevue, Neb.), Daisy Lowther (FR/Bennington, Neb.), Sydney Griffin (SO/Lincoln, Neb.) and Kayla Reed (FR/Albuquerque, NM).

"Macy's hit was an absolute shot," Bray said. "And we had hits up-and-down the batting order tonight."

Lowther earned her first collegiate win in the circle for the Flames. She came on in relief of Garcia in the middle of the fifth frame. Both pitchers fanned two batters each and Lowther walked one.

"I was impressed by Daisy to come in during a high-pressure situation and get the win for us," Bray said.

The Flames are now 2-5 on the season and return to action Saturday with games against Avila University and Waldorf University.

"We still need to tighten things up defensively," Bray said. "And we're still working on lineup changes. But the ladies are battling and our hitting tonight got us the victory."