MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University got two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings and then held on for a 4-3 win in game 2 to salvage a split of a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball games against Minnesota State University Moorhead Wednesday at Herb Parker Stadium.

The Beavers (14-13 overall, 6-8 NSIC) got a big two-run home run from freshman Jordan Branch in game 2, a big hit the couldn't find in game 1 as MSU dropped a 3-2 decision in the first.

"Game 1 was frustrating," MSU head coach Bill Triplett said. "We're not happy with the split, but we needed to keep playing on. They were upset not winning in game 1, but stayed in it and got a big hit in game 2 and played 'add on' a little. We settled down in the second game and made some plays."

In game 2, Branch blasted her third HR of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning to stake MSU to a 2-0 lead. It was the first lead of the day for the Beavers. She went 1 for 3 in the game with two RBIs.

"She's really coming along," Triplett said of Branch. "She's a freshman and we've changed her swing, but she's learning. She's got a lot of power and is getting better. We feel she's going to be a great hitter for us."

MSU tacked on two more in the fifth on a balk and a Ashley Hill sacrifice fly that was dropped for an error to make it 4-0.

The Dragons (8-23, 3-11) made things interesting with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh, but the Beavers Clarissa Ramirez retired the final three outs in the seventh to earn her first save. Emma Casey was efficient through six innings to pick up the win and improve to 2-1 on the year.

"Emma threw strikes," Triplett said. "I wasn't going to go with her all seven, we were hoping to go half of the game to save innings for Reece (Ramirez), but she kept getting better, kept getting better and the next thing you know we are in the seventh. She pitched a great game for us."

Jordan Grant picked up two hits and scored a run. Hill was 1 for 2 with an RBI and Branch drove in two. Payton Gaber was 3 for 4 with an RBI for MSUM.

In game 2, the Beavers had multiple changes to get the equalizer or take the lead, but couldn't get a key hit. MSU left nine runners on base and finished with just six hits against MSUM's Jordan Hall.

Hall worked a complete game giving up two runs with just one earned to secure her first win of the season.

The Beavers trailed 1-0 early, but scored a single run in the third as Grant scored an unearned run. After MSUM scored two unearned runs in the fifth, the Beavers got to within one as Grant scored her second run off a sacrifice fly from Hill.

Grant – who finished 3 for 4 in the game – led off the seventh with a single and stole her third base of the game but was stranded at third as MSU's middle of the order couldn't get her around for the game-tying run.

"Jordan really set the table for us, we just couldn't get the big hit to get her around," Triplett said.

Jenn Spencer nearly matched Hall pitching well enough to win, going all seven innings, giving up six hits, three runs with just one earned, while striking out five.

The Beavers continue an eight-game home stand with a pair of NSIC games Friday and Saturday taking on the University of Sioux Falls (1/3 p.m. Friday) and Southwest Minnesota State (12/2 p.m. Saturday).

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.