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THIS WEEK: The Minot State University softball team will continue their 2014 campaign with a surplus of non-conference games. The Beavers will head to Clermont, Fla. for the 2014 National Training Center Spring Tournament from March 14-19.  

RECORDS: The Minot State is 4-5 overall and 0-0 in the conference as Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play begins this season on March 25. Minot State will play 10 games against nine different teams during the NTC Spring Tournament. Six of these teams have yet to play a game in 2014 while the other three opponents are combined for a 9-10 overall record.

COACHES CORNER: The Beavers are coached by seventh year head coach Bill Triplett. During his tenure with Minot State, Triplett has led MISU to six consecutive winning seasons including a current stretch of four 30-plus win seasons. Triplett holds a career mark of 195-79 and has coached 14 All-Conference players, six All-American players while coaching his team to three national tournaments, including a bid to the 2013 NCAA Division II National Tournament in the school's first season as a member. Last year, the Beavers notched a school record 41 wins while only falling 11 times throughout the season.  

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: There will be no live broadcast of video stream of any of the 2014 National Training Center Spring Tournament. However, officials from Minot State University will provide live stats as well as links social media outlets at msubeavers.com. Minot State Athletics is also active on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube with all feeds accessible at msubeavers.com/stayconnected.

RANKINGS: Minot State did not receive any votes in the latest coaches poll. None of the Beavers' opponents at the NTC Spring Tournament are ranked, but New Haven did receive votes. Two NSIC schools received votes as Winona State had five points total in the poll while Augustana College received 313 points in the poll and are currently ranked No. 7 in the nation.

RECENT HISTORY: Minot State split four games at the Duluth Invitational played in St. Paul, Minn., and had its scheduled games against Montana State-Billings and Black Hills State cancelled due to weather issues.

NOTING THE NTC OPPONENTS: The majority of Minot State's opponents at the National Training Center Spring Tournament are yet to play a game in 2014. Kuztown University, Slippery Rock and Tiffin University are the three teams that have played games and they have combined for a 9-10 overall record led by Tiffin with a  4-1 mark. MISU has faced just four of the nine teams in past seasons, as they hold a 3-2 advantage of those teams including a 2-0 record against New York Institute of Technology, defeating NYIT both in 2012 and 2013.

NEARLY 200 AND COUNTING: Minot State University head coach Bill Triplett is just one win shy of his 200th as a head coach with the Beavers. Triplett has won at least 25 games in each of his first six season, reaching 30 wins over the past four years. Last season, the Beavers set a school record with 41 wins, topping the 40 win mark for the first time. Overall, he is 199-84 in his seventh season as a head coach.

SLUGGISH START: After jumping out to a 8-1 overall record after nine games and 20-1 overall record a season ago, Minot State has lost five of their first nine games to start the 2014 season. It is the Beavers' worst start since beginning 3-6 in 2012. However, MISU has shown the ability to catch fire as they won 13 games in a row in 2013 and also went 26-2 to close the 2012 season.

OH, SO CLOSE: In three of their five losses this year, the Beavers have fallen by just one run and all three coming against nationally ranked opponents. Then No. 1 University of Central Oklahoma defeated MISU 3-2 on Feb. 9 to close the Desert Stinger Invitational before the Beavers lost two one-run games to No. 17 Fort Hays State University on Feb. 23 & 24 at the Duluth Invitational. Last season, MISU dropped just three one-run games all season.

COMBINED NO-HITTER: In the opening game of the 2014 Duluth Invitational, Minot State shutout down Lincoln University as they held LU to no hits as MISU won 8-0 in five innings. Starter Mindy Lorimor (Jr., P, Thurman, Iowa) pitched four innings giving up four walks while collecting four strikeouts in the win. Frehsman Alyssa Cornejo (P/2B, Riverside, Calif.) pitched the final inning and struck out two batters for the first combined no-hitter of the 2014 season.

CYGAN'S HOT BAT: Ali Cygan (Sr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) has shown her senior leadership right out of the gates this season as she leads Minot State in hitting with a .400 batting average through nine games. Cygan has collected a team-high five runs batted in while shockingly having no extra base hits. Last season, she was sixth on the Beavers in hitting with a .280 average with five doubles, four triples and three home runs.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN: Four Minot State freshman have played in and started all nine games this season for the Beavers. Jordan Grant (CF, Adelnatio, Calif.), Sarah Nicks (UTL, Grossmont, Calif.), Alysssa Cornejo (P/2B, Riverside, Calif.) and Rachel Burdette (P/UTL, Temecula, Calif.) have combined for 23 hits, three doubles, one triple, three home runs, 18 runs scored and 12 runs batted in this season.

BY THE NUMBERS
6: Through nine games, Minot State has smashed just six home runs this season. Last year, when they started 8-1, the Beavers had 10 home runs through nine games led by Jen Dixon (Sr., P/OF, Brandon, Manitoba) and current assistant coach Tiffany Friesen with three each.

25: Junior pitcher Mindy Lorimor (Thurman, Iowa) has struck out 25 batters in 41.2 innings this season. She struck out a season-high seven batters in a 2-1 win over rival University of Mary.

57: The Beavers have struck out 57 times through nine games, for an average of 6.3 strikeouts per game. Last season, Minot State struck out just 231 times on the season for a 4.4 strikeouts per game average.