BISMARCK, N.D. – Minot State University senior pitcher Mindy Lorimor (Thurman, Iowa) looked like she was back to form Wednesday.

Lorimor twirled a four-hit shutout – the Beavers second shutout in a row – blanking the University of Mary 6-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball.

"She was as good as she's been all year in the circle," MSU head coach Bill Triplett said of Lorimor. "We played a complete game today. Our hitters were locked in at the plate."

The Beavers (27-16 overall, 8-12 NSIC) rolled to their third straight win, playing a makeup game for an earlier weather related postponement against the Marauders. MSU also pulled to within a half game of U-Mary in the standings as the stretch run begins in the NSIC. MSU is in 12 th as of today, a game back of St. Cloud State for the 10th and final playoff spot and just two back of both Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth for eighth.

Minot State plays both of those team down the stretch, including a double header with CSP Saturday at South Hill Complex (1/3 p.m.).

Lorimor ran into trouble one time in the entire game, allowing two hits in the sixth. But she got out of the jam and cruised to the shutout, striking out nine without a walk in seven innings to move to 17-11 on the season.

While the Beavers bombed the Marauders with home runs nearly a month ago in the first game of the double header, they sliced up U-Mary with doubles. The Beavers finished with six doubles in their 10 hits, including two by Melissa Bell (Sr., UTL, Belgrade, Mont.) and Alyssa Cornejo (So., P/UTL, Riverside, Calif.). Bell and Cornejo drove in two each as well.

"Bell and Cornejo hit three rockets each and put several rallies together," Triplett said. "You throw in the fact that we signed three very good players today and that makes a fantastic day. It was a great day to be a Beaver."

MSU got two runs in the second, third and sixth innings for the win.

Ali Cygan (Sr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) and Leyna Downey (Sr., OF, Missoula, Mont.) each had a double and drove in a run for the Beavers.

MSU also plays Sunday against Minnesota State with games scheduled for 12/2 p.m.