Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minot State University's pitching staff allowed just nine hits and one run over 13 innings to sweep the University of Sioux Falls in a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball games Sunday at Sherman Park.

MISU's Mindy Lorimor (Jr., P, Thurman, Iowa) blanked the Cougars in game 1, scattering four hits for the shutout win. She improved to 11-5 in the game and outdueled USF's Amanda Walters who fell to 11-3 with the loss. In game 2, the Beavers bats came alive and starter Jen Dixon (Sr., OF/P, Brandon, Manitoba) cruised to her fifth win, going five innings while allowing just one run and five hits.

"It was really nice to see our pitching staff settle into a pair of solid games," said MISU head coach Bill Triplett. "Both Mindy and Jen were good today against a good Sioux Falls team. We did just enough to win game 1 and then the bats woke up in game 2."

Minot State (16-8, overall, 3-3 NSIC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Melissa Bell (Jr., C, Belgrade, Mont.) doubled home Jordan Grant (Fr., CF, Adelnato, Calif.) to give Lorimor all the run support she would need.

Rachel Burdette (Fr., P/UTL, Temecula, Calif.) and Alyssa Cornejo (Fr., P/2B, Riverside, Calif.) drove home runs in the fourth to give MISU a cushion. The Beavers finished with just five hits, but capitalized on four USF errors.

Lorimor was efficient as she struck out four batters and walked just two for the win.

In game 2, Dixon helped her own cause with a big three-run home run in the top of the third to break a 1-1 tie. She finished with two hits and three RBIs while scoring two runs. Grant, Burdette, Cornejo, Stacy Fournier (Sr., 3B, Langley, British Columbia) and Katie Backes (Sr., UTL, Minot, N.D.) all finished with two hits as the Beavers busted out 17 hits in the game. Cornejo and Burdette both drove in two.

The Beavers stole five bases on the day as five different players swiped a base.

Dixon was very good in the circle, going five innings and allowing just five hits and one run. She struck out two before giving way to Cornejo who worked a perfect sixth as the game ended by the eight-run rule.

USF's Bailey Bouman suffered the loss in game 2. Erin Scott led the way on offense for the Cougars (15-7, 3-3) going 2-for-3 in the game and finished the day with five hits.