FAYETTE, Iowa – Minot State University couldn't hold on to a late lead in game 1 and it carried over to game 2 as Upper Iowa took a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate softball games here Saturday.
 
The Beavers carried a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning in game 1, but the Peacocks scored four in the bottom of the six to rally for a 6-4 win. In game 2, UIU ran out to 7-1 lead and held off MSU late for a 7-3 win and a sweep of the series.
 
Minot State (24-14 overall, 5-10 NSIC) looked like it was going to break out of a recent slump as the Beavers hammered out four solo home runs – two by starting pitcher Mindy Lorimor (Thurman, Iowa) – to take the 4-2 lead.
 
Lorimor finished with four hits in the series, her first four hits of her Beavers career, and smacked the two home runs, also her first two. Her first career hit was a solo home run in the third inning to cut the Peacocks early lead to 2-1.
 
But the Peacocks (16-21, 11-5) rallied with five hits and four runs – all coming on a grand slam by Katie Mnichowicz – to take a 6-4 lead.
 
Jacqueline Flood worked seven innings and gave up seven hits and four runs to earn the win and even her record at 9-9 for UIU. Shelby Crist and Whitney Williams had three hits each as the Peacocks rapped out 13 in the game.
 
Lorimor gave up six runs, five earned, and 13 hits to suffer the loss. She fell to 15-10. She was joined by Melissa Bell (Sr., UTL, Belgrade, Mont.) with two hits. Bell, Lorimor and Ashley Hill (Fr., 1B, Mesa, Ariz.) all hit home runs.
 
In game 2, UIU scored runs in the first five innings, plating two in the third and the fifth to build the 7-1 lead.
 
MSU got two back in the sixth both on bases loaded walks as Rylee Cygan (Fr., C, Bozeman, Mont.) and Bell earned RBIs and had the tying run at the plate, but couldn't get the equalizer.
 
Flood went 4 for 4 at the plate with three RBIs and Williams had three more hits for the Peacocks in the win. Flood also earned the save in relief.
 
Bell and Lorimor finished two hits each in game 2 for MSU in the loss. Alyssa Cornejo (So., P/UTL, Riverside, Calif.) went four innings giving up five runs but just two earned in the loss.
 
MSU finishes the road trip with two games at Winona State Sunday starting at Noon.