Box Score LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Minot State University softball came within two out of its biggest upset in program history, but preseason No. 1 Central Oklahoma rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 3-2 over the Beavers in the final day of the Montana State-Billings Desert Stinger played at Majestic Park.

"We certainly would like to have that one back," said MISU head coach Bill Triplett. "We battled them the entire way, but they showed why they have the lofty ranking and didn't give up. Give them credit, but give us credit as well, it was a back and forth game."

The Beavers (2-3 overall) and Bronchos (2-3 overall) picked where they left off last season as the two teams battled in a classic at the NCAA Central Regional in Fort Hays, Kan., with Central Oklahoma winning 2-0 on its way to a national title. Unfortunately for Minot State, UCO's star pitcher Kalynn Schrock picked up where she left off, blanking the Beavers over the final five innings in relief for the win.

A big turning point in the game came in the top of the seventh as Minot State loaded the bases with no outs, but Schrock worked out of the jam and set up the seventh-inning rally.

"I thought we did a good job of getting runners on and not backing down to her," Triplett said of Schrock. "That really hurt not getting at least one insurance run and they had the momentum heading into the bottom of the seventh because of that."

In the seventh, Brooke Zukerman tied the game with a one-out, two-run home run to right and Emily Ditmore singled home Ally Dziadula for the game winner.

The Beavers starter Mindy Lorimor (Jr., P, Thurman, Iowa) was nearly perfect until the seventh as she gave up just five hits and no runs entering the seventh. She still finished with a solid line of 6 1/3 innings pitched, giving up nine hits and three runs while striking out two.

"Mindy pitched a great game and really pitched well enough to win," Triplett said.

Minot State got the two run lead with a run in each of the first two innings as Jordan Grant (Fr., CF, Adelnato, Calif.) scored both times. In the first, she singled, moved up on a passed ball and scored on an Ali Cygan (Jr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) single. In the second, she singled, stole second and made a heads up play by scoring on an error at short.

Cygan also joined Grant with multiple hits for the Beavers as she went 3-for-4 with the RBI.

The Beavers are off for a couple weeks before getting back to games at the Duluth Invitational in St. Paul, Minn., Feb. 23-24.