CLERMONT, Fla. – Minot State University softball just can't quite put the sweep together.

The Beavers earned a split of two more games in Florida, topping St. Michaels 2-0 but falling to Bentley University 3-2 at the National Training Center Tournament Thursday.

In the opener, MSU pushed across single runs in the second and fifth innings to post the win. One would have been enough for starter Tiffany Friesen (Jr., P/3B, Morden, Manitoba) who twirled a gem, giving up just one hit in seven complete innings.

“Tiffany pitched very well for us,” said MSU head coach Bill Triplett. “And, it was nice to see the two seniors drive in the two runs we got.”

Those two seniors are Deanna Mitchell (1b, Portage, Manitoba) and Kyla Thiesen (2B, Brandon, Manitoba).Mitchell plated Friesen with a sacrifice fly in the second and Thiesen pushed across Katelyn Burns (Jr., SS, Cypress, Calif.) in the fifth with another sacrifice.

The Beavers weren't great at the plate, only mustering seven hits against St. Michaels Stepanie Frank, but were able to score the two runs for the win. Burns finished with two hits – a single and a double – and scored the one run. Thiesen went 1 for 2 with a triple.

In game 2, MSU got out to a great start, leading 2-0 after two innings of play. Maribel Casillas (Jr., OF, Murrieta, Calif.) and Corinne Gautron (Jr., C, Winnipeg, Manitoba) both knocked in runs in the second for the lead.

But Bentley's Carly Taitz settled down to only allow two hits after the first two innings.

Bentley got all four of its hits in the game against MSU starter Mandy Greenberg (Jr., P, Winnipeg, Manitoba) in the fourth, managing to plate two in the inning. BU got the eventual game winner in the fifth off an error stolen base, ground out, wild pitch.

Thiesen had two more hits in the game, going 2 for 4. Stacy Fournier (So., SS, Langley, British Columbia) added a hit and a run scored for the Beavers. Greenberg was the tough-luck loser going six innings of four-hit ball with nine strikeouts.

MSU takes on Fredonia State and East Stroudsburg University Friday as it nears the end of its Florida tournament play.