WAYNE, Neb. – Minot State University scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and record an 8-4 win in game 1 to earn a split of a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games at Wayne State Saturday at the Pete Chapman Complex.

The Beavers (13-10 overall, 5-5 NSIC) hit three home runs in the pivotal seventh as Lauren Cowden, Ashley Hill and Isis Cabral all went deep to lift the Beavers.
"Lauren blasted a long three-run shot and Hill and Cabral put them away," said MSU head coach Bill Triplett. "We had to juggle our lineup a bit today with a couple starters being out, but we came together and had a really good first game."

MSU hit two more HRs in game 2, but gave up three as WSC (7-27, 1-9) salvaged a split with a 13-5 (5) win in game 2.

In the series opener, the Beavers took a 3-1 lead in the fifth as Clarissa Ramirez drove in a run and later scored on an error by the Wildcats to score two in the inning. MSU plated its first run on a bases loaded walk by Kassidy Millen in the top of the second.

The Wildcats tied the game with two in the sixth before the home run barrage by the Beavers pushed the game out of reach.

MSU finished with 12 hits and had four players with multi-hit games, including two each by the team's 7-8-9 hitters Skyla Neubauer, Jordan Branch and Millen.

"Neubauer, Branch and Millen had two hits apiece from the 7-8-9 homes which was big for us," Triplett said. "I really liked how Branch and Cabral had some great at-bats for us today. Their hard work is starting to show and paying some dividends for us."

The lead was more than enough for MSU starter Jenn Spencer as she ran her season record to 8-3. Spencer gave up eight hits and four runs with just two being earned in a complete game.

"Spencer was good again for us," Triplett added.

Hill was the fourth player with a multi-hit game for MSU, driving in one run for MSU.

In game 2, Hill and Branch both homered in the second and Millen doubled home Ramirez for the 4-3 lead.
But MSU couldn't hold on as Melanie Alyea finished with two HRs and five RBIs, while E Chandler added a home run and knocked in three.

"We hit well, scoring five runs and it could have been more, but we left nine on base," Triplett said. "Our defense let us down a bit and we had a few mental mistakes. You know, any time you win game 1 on the road, you really want the sweep."

Ramirez suffered the loss, going two innings and giving up eight runs on seven hits.

Jordan Grant joined Hill with two hits, while Branch joined her with two RBIs.

Minot State will finish off the four-game road swing with a pair of games at Augustana University Sunday. The game times have been pushed up to 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

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.