SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minot State University pitcher Jenn Spencer twirled a five-hitter as the No. 9 seeded Beavers topped No. 8 seed Southwest Minnesota State 3-1 in the first round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball Tournament Thursday at Bowden Field.

The Beavers (24-21 overall) went 1-1 on the first day as Minot State dropped its second round game to top seed, No. 9 ranked Minnesota State. MSU will play Friday at 10 a.m. against St. Cloud State in loser out action at Bowden Field.

"We had a really nice first game," said MSU head coach Bill Triplett. "We were a little flat in game two and Minnesota State got to us for a couple runs in each inning. We will be ready for tomorrow."

In the opener, MSU started fast getting a leadoff triple from Jordan Grant and RBI singles from both Lauren Cowden and Skyla Neubauer. Cowden plated Grant in the second at bat of the game as the Beavers opened with 1-0 lead. Neubauer drove in Cowden with a clutch two-out single throw the left side.

"It was a great start for us," Triplett said. "Grant started it off the triple and Neubauer got a big RBI single with two outs."

It turned out to be enough runs for Spencer. She rolled through the SMSU order, taking a shutout into seventh inning before allowing a single run. Spencer improved to 14-12 with the win, allowing one run on five hits and no base on balls.

"Spencer was on her game getting ground ball after ground ball, many of them to short," Triplett said. "Ramirez (MSU starting shortstop Clarissa Ramirez) had a great game at short)."

Ramirez finished with seven assists and a putout, while fellow middle infielder Rachel Burdette finished with four assists and a three putouts. Spencer finished with four assists herself.

The Beavers tacked on an insurance run for Spencer heading into the bottom of the seventh as Tori Zimmermann drove in Grant – who went 3 for 4 with two runs scored. Cowden and Ashley Hill joined Grant with multi-hit games, finishing with two each.

In the second game against highly ranked Minnesota State, the Beavers couldn't get much going against Mavericks' ace Coley Ries. Ries tossed four shutout innings allowing two hits with eight strikeouts to improve to 28-2.

"They (Mavericks) are a really good team, but I think we gave them a little too much respect," Triplett said. "If you want to compete at their level, you have to believe in yourself and have a little swagger. We lacked that in game 2."

Zimmermann and Ramirez finished with the Beavers two hits, both singles. Spencer pitched three innings, allowing eight hits and six runs with two strikeouts to fall to 14-13 on the season.

Jess Meidl led the Mavericks with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the win.

The winner of the Minot State SCSU game will advance to play the loser of semifinal number two Winona State and Augustana at 2 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.