MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University bounced back in a big way.

The Beavers made quick work of Minnesota Crookston, earning a pair of 8-run rule wins over the Golden Eagles to snap a four-game losing streak in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games Tuesday at Herb Parker Stadium.

"We kind of treated it as must wins," said MSU head coach Bill Triplett. "We dropped four on the road last weekend and we were 1-4 coming in. We figured it was two must-wins to try and get to 3-4. You've got to get in the top 10 teams to get into the tournament."

Minot State (22-8 overall, 3-4 NSIC) rolled to a 10-2 win in game 1 and then shut out the Golden Eagles (4-24, 0-8) 11-0 in game 2. In all, Minot State swatted four home runs and 23 hits in the two games.

We've got to take care of our home field," Triplett said. "We thought if we could win all our games at home and sneak a few out on the road we might be ok, but it was a must-win for us."

In game 1, Minot State opened with a pair of run in the bottom of the first and had to overcome one hiccup as Shelby Hollinger stroked a 2-run home run in the third to tie it at 2. From there, the Beavers outscored the Golden Eagles 8-0, getting two back in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth.

MSU had eight players register a hit and eight score at least one run. Jordan Grant (So., CF, Adelnato, Calif.), Melissa Bell (Sr., UTL, Belgrade, Mont.), Ashley Hill (Fr., 1B, Mesa, Ariz.) and Rachel Burdette (So., UTL, Temecula, Calif.) all finished with two hits apiece. Burdette and Cornejo hit home runs, while Bell finished with two doubles. Hill, Cornejo and Leyna Downey (Sr., OF, Missoula, Mont.) all drove in two runs.

Victoria Bayliss finished with two hits to pace UMC, while Hollinger had two RBIs in the loss. Bailey Braatz went 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits, six runs to suffer the loss.

Mindy Lorimor (Sr., P, Thurman, Iowa) worked five innings, giving up three hits and two runs – just one earned – while striking out two to run her record to 15-6 on the season.

In game 2, it was much of the same. MSU drilled 11 hits and had multi-hit games from four batters. Hill went 3 for 4 with two RBIs, while Grant, Cornejo and Ali Cygan (Sr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) all picked up two hits. Cygan and Cornejo drove in three each.

Hill and Cornejo also hit home runs for the Beavers as Hill tied Burdette for the team lead with six on the season. The Beavers have hit 41 home runs this season, just seven behind last year's total and 12 below its school record of 53 set in 2013.

Cornejo was just as solid in the circle as she was at the plate as she went four innings of shutout ball, giving up just four hits to move to 5-1 on the season. Jenn Spencer (So., P, Winnipeg, Manitoba) worked a scoreless fifth in relief.
Sammy Knudson went just 1 1/3 innings and gave up six hits and seven runs to suffer the loss for UMC.

Minot State moves on in its six-game home stand, taking on the University of Sioux Falls Friday, scheduled for South Hill Complex. The Beavers are scheduled to play Southwest Minnesota State Saturday at South Hill as well. Games are set for 12/2 p.m. both days.

"They're a good team," Triplett said of Sioux Falls. "They've been winning a lot of games this year. We've lost a couple starters to injuries, but like I told our players, sometimes others have to step up when you lose people like that. Hill did a good job at third and she's had to play some outfield now because Bell's had to catch."