Box Score SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minot State University hit two solo home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but fell a run short of completing a rally as Concordia University, St. Paul eliminated Minot State 5-4 in loser out action at the 2014 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball tournament Friday at Sherman Park.

The Beavers ended their season at 29-20, coming up just a win short of their fourth straight 30 win season and ended the tournament with a 1-2 record. Concordia-St. Paul, the No. 10 seed coming into the tournament, improved to 20-33 on the season, 2-1 in the tournament and moved on to another loser out game.

"It's certainly not the end we wanted, but I'm proud of how the girls fought back and didn't give up," said MISU head coach Bill Triplett. "This group of seniors had a special run at Minot State and it will be tough to see them go."

Minot State jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings as Darlene Truong (Jr., C, Escondido, Calif.) hit her first career home run in the first inning and Alyssa Cornejo (Fr., 2B/P, Riverside, Calif.) drove in Stacy Fournier (Sr., 3B, Langley, British Columbia) in the second inning.
Truong's home run was one of six HRs for the Beavers in three games and one of five solo shots for the Beavers.

But, the Golden Bears used a huge home run in the top of the fourth inning to get a lead they didn't relinquish. Cassie Bertelsen smoked a three-run shot in the fourth and then followed that up with a two-run double in the fourth to stake the CSP to a 5-2 lead.

"We really just gave up two big hits, but that's how this game goes, you can't give up anything as the teams here are too good and will make you pay," Triplett said. "Give Concordia credit, they took advantage of the small things we allowed."

The Beavers had a couple chances to make a comeback as MISU had first and second and nobody out in the bottom of the sixth and then got solo home runs by Cornejo and Sarah Nicks (Fr., C, Grossmont, Calif.) in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't get the potential tying run on after the Nick's bomb cut the lead to 5-4.

"I thought we were going to complete the comeback," said Triplett. "We had the momentum, but needed just a couple more hits."

Mindy Lorimor (Jr., Thurman, Iowa) suffered the loss, pitching in her third straight game. She gave up seven hits in five innings, allowing five runs, but just three earned as MISU had two key errors. Cornejo pitched a perfect sixth and seventh to keep the Beavers in the game.

Bertlesen and Teona Zepeda had two hits apiece, while Bertlesen drove in all five runs for the Golden Bears. Stephanie Kappes improved to 11-20 with the win, going all seven innings, giving up six hits and four runs.

Cornejo finished with two hits for the Beavers, hitting her second home run of the tournament.