BOX SCORE

MINOT, N.D. – For the second straight season, Dickinson State forced a second championship.

For the second straight season, Minot State University rode the right arm of sophomore Mandy Greenberg (So., P, Winnipeg, Manitoba).

Greenberg did not give up a hit until the seventh inning and struck 11 batters to pace the Beavers to a 4-2 win over the Blue Hawks for the Dakota Athletic Conference Softball Tournament title Sunday at South Hill Complex.

Greenberg had to sit and watch the first championship Saturday night as MSU went with Jen Dixon (Fr., P/OF, Brandon, Manitoba) in the circle.

“It was tough to not pitch yesterday,” Greenberg said. “You always want to pitch in the championship. But we knew we had one more game and I have a lot of confidence in my teammates.”

Greenberg was outstanding the entire game, but was nearly untouchable early on.

“I had some things working. I was able to hit the corners and mix my pitches. I felt pretty good early on,” said Greenberg.

The Beavers used the long ball to build a 4-0 lead as Ashley Smoke (Jr., C, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) and Dixon each hit home runs. Smoke's two-run shot gave the Beavers a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second and helped the Beavers shake off any lasting effects of Saturday night's 3-2 loss to Dickinson State in the first championship.

“I had two strikes on me and knew that Sara Jane (DSU starter Sara Jane Webster) wanted to get the strikeout. That's how she pitches,” Smoke said. “I was looking for the rise ball and thankfully she threw it. It really helped to get the lead and allow Mandy to be more carefree on the mound. She was really throwing hard early on.”

“It was giant,” said Greenberg referring to the early lead.

The Blue Hawks (30-13) made things interesting in the seventh as two Minot State errors and a key hit got the game to 4-2. Jamie Belluscio got the only DSU hit, plating Nicole Youngblood and Charnel Zetsch to cut the lead to two.

“I told the girls to just relax, we can't let this bother us,” MSU head coach Bill Triplett. “We are ahead 4-0 and we will make the plays. Mandy really buckles down when she needs to.”

Greenberg got out of the inning and sent the No. 2 seeded Beavers to the NAIA National Softball Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. She finished with three wins in the tournament, giving up just four hits the entire way and one earned run.

“We were playing this thing for a lot of reasons and everyone wanted this pretty bad. We didn't have to say much before the game,” said Triplett. “We felt we were better than them (Dickinson) and only gave up four hits over two games to them. I don't think we get a lot of respect nationally or in our own conference, but when you put this team on the field, they are tough to beat.”

Sara Jane Webster suffered the loss, going six innings, giving up five hits, four runs and two strikeouts. The Blue Hawks will have to wait to see their national tournament fate.

Minot State (30-9) got two hits from Dixon, including the home run and a double. Brittany Bartel (So., 3B, Sinclair, Manitoba) went 1-for-1 with a triple and an RBI after coming into the game to pinch hit with two strikes. Melissa Elliott (Sr., OF, Escondido, Calif.) had a double and scored a run for MSU.

“This team has developed into a tight-knit bunch. In the past, we might have some kids who would be upset with not starting, but you have a play like Bartel's where she comes in with an 0-2 count and gets a triple,” said Triplett.

The Beavers and Blue Hawks have now played six championship games over the past four seasons with each team winning two postseason titles.

“This is the best team I have played on,” Smoke said. “I have heard all year how exciting and how much fun last year was. But it has been a lot of fun so far this year. We are a tournament team, if we have something to play for, we can be awfully tough. I can't wait to get to 'Bama.”