Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BISMARCK, N.D. – It took 201 pitches to do it, but Minot State University softball's winning streak was halted Friday at 18 games.

The Beavers pushed the win streak to 18 with a 5-1 win over the University of Sioux Falls in game 1, but a 12th inning home run and 12-inning complete game by USF's Amanda Walters stopped the Beavers 5-4 in game 2 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball double header at the University of Mary field.

“We are disappointed in the loss, certainly, but we had a great start to the season,” said MISU head coach Bill Triplett. “We really only had one bad inning in 19 innings today, but it came back to bite us. We need to shake this off and get back at it tomorrow.”

The Beavers (21-2 overall, 3-1 NSIC) were well on their way to win No. 19 after a home run by Tiffany Friesen (Sr., P/3B, Morden, Manitoba) propelled the Beavers to a three-run third inning. The lead was 4-0 heading into the top of the fifth.

But Sioux Falls (7-11, 2-2) scored four in the inning to tie the game. Samantha Kane had the big hit for the Cougars with a bases loaded triple.

From there, it was a battle between Walters and Minot State batters. The Beavers finished with 15 hits and had plenty of chances to get the game winner, but Walters kept making key pitches. She only struck out seven batters but scattered most of the 15 hits for her third win of the season.

Friesen pitched well enough to win, going eight innings, giving up just four runs, three earned and six hits. She struck out 10 and didn't walk a batter. But she gave way in the ninth to Mandy Greenberg (Sr., P, Winnipeg, Manitoba) with a runner on.

Greenberg cruised through three innings, but gave up a leadoff home run to pinch hitter Shannon Daly to left centerfield in the top of the 12th. It was the only hit allowed by Greenberg, who struck out six of the 13 batters she faced. She suffered her first loss of the season, dropping to 11-1 on the season.

Friesen and Jen Dixon (Jr., OF/P, Brandon, Manitoba) finished with three hits apiece, with Friesen driving in two with her ninth home run of the season. Carmen Vargas (Sr., C, Cathedral City, Calif.) Emily Fournier (Jr., INF, Langley, British Columbia) and Melissa Bell (So., C, Belgrade, Mont.) all had two hits for the Beavers.

Greenberg was lights out in game 1, striking out 10 batters in a complete game, five-hitter. She gave up just one run in the seventh to earn her 11th win on the season.

Bell, Friesen and Ali Cygan (Jr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) all finished with two hits. Bell stroked two doubles and scored two runs, Friesen also hit two doubles and drove in one run and Cygan added a double and an RBI.

Minot State will return to U-Mary for a pair of home NSIC games against Southwest Minnesota State Saturday starting at 3 p.m.