Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BISMARCK, N.D. – Minot State University hasn't been faced with what they encountered Saturday.

The Beavers were coming off a stinging loss Friday night as the University of Sioux Falls ended MISU's 18-game winning streak with a 12th inning home run.

Minot State responded, however, with a pair of wins over Southwest Minnesota State, taking game 1 12-2 (6) and game 2 9-1 (5) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball at the U-Mary Field.

“We needed to respond and put last night behind us,” said head coach Bill Triplett. “I thought we did that pretty well.”

Game 1 was dictated by senior pitcher Mandy Greenberg (Winnipeg, Manitoba), who shook off her first loss of the season with a commanding performance. She pitched a three-hitter striking out 12 of the 22 batters she faced.

Her only mistakes of the game came on back-to-back solo home runs by Amy Dreessen and Morgan Peterson in the top of the fourth inning. Dresseen finished with a two hits to pace the Mustangs.

“Mandy responded as well,” Triplett said. “She has been so good for us over the first two months that we have come to expect good outings. She shrugged off the two home runs and pitched a strong game. I was happy with how we pitch over the four games this week outside of one bad inning.”

The Beavers (23-2 overall, 5-1 NSIC) finished with 13 hits as four players finished with multiple hits. Katie Backes (Jr., UTL, Minot, N.D.) hammered her second home run and knocked in three. Tiffany Friesen (Sr., P/3B, Morden, Manitoba) plated three, Melissa Bell (So., C, Belgrade, Mont.) and Brittany Thorson (Fr., SS/P, El Paso, Texas) had two RBIs each and Jen Dixon (Jr., OF/P, Brandon, Manitoba) had two doubles and an RBI.

Minot State's hitting machine churned away again in game 2, slugging out 13 more hits, including a home run and double by Dixon and two doubles by Bell.
Bell ended the series with a walk-off double, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Dixon was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and No. 8 and 9 hitters Thorson and Backes each finished with two hits and scored two runs.

Chelsey Rodenkirch finished with two hits for the Mustangs (9-9, 2-4).

Friesen picked up her ninth with of the season with a five-hitter, allowing just a single run in the top of the first. She struck out eight and didn't walk a batter. At the plate, she added two more RBI, leading the team with 41 on the season.

Minot State is scheduled to finally play a game in Minot on Tuesday as the Beavers play host to Bemidji State in an NSIC double header. The games are planned for the FieldTurf at Herb Parker Stadium starting at 1 p.m.

– GO BEAVERS –