Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BISMARCK, N.D. – Minot State University gave up nine runs in each game to fall twice to the University of Mary Wednesday, losing 9-2 in game 1 and 9-6 in game 2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball at the U-Mary Softball Field.

The games were originally scheduled for Minot Tuesday, but were moved to Bismarck and postponed due to cold temperatures in Minot. The game 1 loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for Minot State.

The Beavers (13-7 overall, 0-2 NSIC) struggled to hit the ball outside of one inning and did not get a commanding pitching performance from any of the four pitchers used in the double header.

"I don't know if we've had a pair of games like this in my time at Minot State," said MISU head coach Bill Triplett. "We didn't hit and didn't pitch very well and didn't have a lot of energy or fight in game 1 until the end. In game 2, we had some more fight, but we didn't really get things going at all."

Minot State was stymied by Marauders' pitcher Erin Keen in both games. She picked up a pair of wins, going the distance in game 1 and the final 4 2/3 innings in relief in game 2. Keen gave up just two runs and nine hits combined in two games. She allowed four hits and struck out six while walking seven in a complete game win in game 1.

"She was very good," Triplett said. "She kept us off balance the whole way and we never really got many good at bats against her. Give her credit, she was good."

The Beavers fell behind in both games as well. It was 2-0 U-Mary in game 1 before Ali Cygan (Jr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) and Stacy Fournier (Sr., 3B, Langley, British Columbia) drove in runs to make it 2-2.

But it was all U-Mary after that as they scored six runs in the sixth and pulled away with 12 hits and nine runs.
In game 2, the Marauders (jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Beavers rallied.

In the third, Cygan and Rachel Burdette (Fr., P/UTL, Temecula, Calif.) each drove in two with key hits. It was the only big hits, however, the Beavers could string together in the double header.

"We need to string more hits together than we did today," Triplett said. "Mary is playing really well right now and did a good job, but we need to get our bats going better to win."

Burdette was solid at the plate over the double header as she collected five hits and drove in two. Cygan had three RBIs for Minot State.

Mindy Lorimor (Jr., P, Thurman, Iowa) suffered the loss in game 1, falling to 10-4 on the season, while Alyssa Cornejo (Fr., P/2B, Riverside, Calif.) took the loss in relief in game 2.

Minot State stays on the road this weekend as they are scheduled to travel to Southwest Minnesota State Saturday and the University of Sioux Falls Sunday.