SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minot State University gave up its second late lead on the weekend and fell twice to the University of Sioux Falls to close out a six-game road trip this week in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball Sunday at Sherman Park.

The Beavers led 5-1 after scoring two in the top of the fifth, but couldn't hold that lead, falling 8-6 in the first game. The Beavers were topped 10-2 in six innings in game two to fall to 1-9 in NSIC games and 12-16 overall.

"We battled hard in game 1," MSU head coach Bill Triplett said. "We've been so close in several games of late. We need to find a way to finish games off."

The road sweep spoiled a great day by sophomore Ashley Hill (1B, Mesa, Ariz.) as she went 5 for 7 on the day with a home run and three RBIs. She was 4 for 4 in game 1, driving in two and hit her fifth home run of the season in game 2, going 1 for 3.

In game 1, MSU scored three runs in the third, getting four singles and a double by Jordan Grant (Jr., CF, Adelanto, Calif.) to score three runs. Rachel Burdette (Jr., UTL, Temecula, Calif.), Hill and Kyla Larson (So., OF, Wahiawa, Hawaii) all finished with RBI singles in the inning.

USF (26-9, 10-2) countered with a single run in the bottom of the third, but the Beavers were able to tack on two more in the fifth to get to the 5-1 lead.

MSU again used small ball to plate its runs in the fifth, getting four singles and a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 5-1. Jenn Spencer (Jr., P, Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Alyssa Cornejo (Jr., P/UTL, Riverside, Calif.) drove in runs in the inning.

But USF countered that outburst with four in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 5. USF scored two runs in the inning – and three overall – unearned as MSU committed four errors in the game.

The Beavers took one more lead with an unearned run of their own in the sixth as Hill drove in Clarissa Ramirez (Jr., P/UTL, Tucson, Ariz.) with her four single of the game.

The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the sixth as they seven batters to the plate and scored three to earn the win.

Spencer pitched six innings, giving up 12 hits, eight runs with five earned and two strikeouts. Ramirez, Burdette, Larson, Grant and Isis Cabral (Fr., OF, Oxnard, Calif.) all finished with two hits apiece as MSU smacked 15 hits as a team.

"We built up a nice lead, but had way too many miscues and let them come back. We got the lead again, only to give it back," Triplett said. "Ashley Hill continued to rake as she was 9 for 13 on the weekend."

Game 2 started well for the Beavers as Burdette drilled her fifth home run of the season in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead. It remained close until USF scored five in the third to take a 5-1 lead. Hill got the Beavers back to 5-2 with her homer in the fourth, but the Cougars scored two in the fourth, one in the fifth and finished off the game with a run in the sixth.

Grant finished with two hits for the Beavers to pace the office. Ramirez suffered the loss in the circle.

The Beavers return home for three NSIC doubleheaders beginning with a pair of games with Northern State Wednesday at Herb Parker Stadium.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.