MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University combined for 22 hits and 16 runs in a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball wins over Minnesota Crookston Thursday at Herb Parker Stadium.

The Beavers, making their home NSIC debut, rolled to an 8-0 win in six innings in game 1 and finished off the double header with an 8-1 win in the finale.

"Our offense played well, got on and ran the bases well," said MSU head coach Bill Triplett. "Overall, in that regards, it was a good day for us."

In game 1, MSU got a fast start, scoring five runs in the first two innings including two runs in the bottom of the first inning. It was something MSU did all day, scoring three in the bottom of the first in game 2 as well. Triplett was happy with his team's fast starts in both games.

"That in itself is – you just feel more comfortable, your defense relaxes, the other team starts pressing a little – that's huge," Triplett said. "If the top of the order, (Jordan) Grant and Lauren (Cowden), get on, I'm confident we will score because out 3-4-5 hitters are so good."

The run support was more than enough for starter Clarissa Ramirez who worked all six innings for the shutout. She gave up just seven hits and struck out five batters to improve to 5-5 on the year.

Grant went 4 for 4 in the game, scoring two runs and stealing three bases. She is a perfect 17 for 17 on steals so far this season. Ashley Hill finished off the sixth inning game with a towering three-run home run to left and plated six overall going 3 for 4 with a double to go with her sixth HR on the season. Tori Zimmermann was 2 for 3 for the Beavers.

"She (Grant) could have kept doing that (bunting and slapping) and probably got two more hits," Triplett said. "We were working on her swinging away because there are teams that will really take that away, but what she has been doing is impressive."

In game 2, it was much of the same. Grant was 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Rachel Burdette and Cowden had two hits each with Burdette driving in four and Cowden two as MSU had seven players with at least one hit. Freshman Jordan Branch smacked her first collegiate home run, a solo shot in the third to give MSU a comfortable 4-0 lead.

In the circle, Jenn Spencer cruised through four innings, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts to improve to 6-4 on the season. Emma Casey pitched three innings allowing just three hits and one run.

Beavers pitching allowed just 11 hits and one run in two games.

"The pitchers did a good job overall," Triplett said. "Just one run overall between the two games, they did a good job. That was nice to see."

The Beavers will move on in their NSIC schedule playing four on the road this weekend, traveling to Wayne State College Saturday and Augustana University Sunday.

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.