LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Junior Lauren Cowden had four hits and drove in four runs leading Minot State to a split of its two games on Saturday on the second day of play at the Desert Stinger Tournament at Majestic Field.
 
The Beavers, who are 2-2 on the season, opened the day with a 14-8 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills and then bounced back to run rule Notre Dame de Naumur 11-2 in five innings.
 
Cowden led the Beavers against Notre Dame de Naumur as she drove in four runs, while Isis Cabral drove in a pair of runs.
 
Ashley Hill led Minot State against the Argonauts with three hits, while Julia Suchan, Tori Zimmermann and Cabral each had one hit.
 
Laura Mendez went the distance in the circle for the Beavers as she allowed five hits and one earned run in five innings of work to earn the win.
 
After spotting Notre Dame de Naumur two runs in the top of the first inning, the Beavers cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first.
 
Suchan reached on an error and advanced to second when Hill singled to center. She came in to score when Cabral reached on an infield single.
 
Minot State then took control of the game by scoring five runs in the bottom of the second inning.
 
Cowden gave the Beavers the lead for good at 4-2 with a bases-loaded double that brought home three runs. Suchan doubled in Cowden and Hill capped the inning with a single that plated Suchan giving Minot State a 6-2 lead.
 
The Beavers put the game away by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hill and Haley Hernandez each had an RBI groundout and Minot State took advantage of Notre Dame de Naumur errors to score three more times.
 
In the Beavers opening game of the day, Cal State Dominguez Hills scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break open a 7-7 deadlock.
 
Cowden and Zimmermann each recorded three hits for Minot State, while Kyla Larson and Camille Greene each added two hits for the Beavers.
 
Cowden finished the game 3-of-5 with two runs scored, while Zimmermann was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
Minot State banged out 13 hits for the game, but committed a season-high nine errors to offset the offensive attack.
 
Minot State started fast for the second straight game by scoring four times in the top of the first inning.
 
With one out, Cowden and Zimmermann hit back-to-back singles and Cabral walked to load the bases. Suchan singled up the middle to bring home Cowden and Zimmermann giving the Beavers a 2-0 lead.
 
Larson then singled to right to score Cabral to up the lead to 3-0 and Skyla Neubauer drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the fourth run of the inning.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills responded in the bottom of the second inning with six runs to take a 6-4 lead.
 
The Toros upped the lead to 7-4 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning before the Beavers rallied.
 
Minot State got to within 7-5 when Greene hit a run-scoring double to plate Cabral who had doubled to lead off the inning.
 
The Beavers then scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 7-7. Cowden singled to lead off the inning and trotted home a batter later when Zimmermann blasted her second home run of the season.
 
The Toros then broke the game open by scoring seven runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Minot State wil conclude play in the Desert Stinger Tournament on Sunday (Feb. 4) when it faces Stanislaus State.
 
The Beavers will open the home portion of its schedule on Saturday (Feb. 10) when it hosts Mayville State and Dickinson State. Minot State will face the same two teams on Sunday (Feb. 11) in the Air-Supported Dome at Herb Parker Stadium.