MINOT, N.D. -- The Minot State softball team will look to strengthen its position for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament as the Beavers travel to Bemidji, Minn., for a doubleheader on Tuesday (April 17) against Bemidji State.

Minot State is currently tied for seventh place in the conference standings with Minnesota State as each team has a 7-7 NSIC record. The Beavers, who are 20-15 overall on the season, have 10 conference games remaining following the doubleheader at Bemidji State. The top 10 teams in the NSIC will earn a trip to the conference tournament on May 3-5 at Bowden Field and Sherman Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Beavers, who are 5-3 in their last eight games, split a NSIC doubleheader with Minnesota State Moorhead last Thursday. Minot State won the opener 7-3 before the Dragons came back to win the second game 6-2.

Minot State senior Tori Zimmermann continues her outstanding season as she leads the NSIC in batting average (.504), slugging percentage (.835) and doubles (19). She also ranks among the NSIC leaders in on-base percentage, hits, runs batted in and home runs.

Sophomore Julia Suchan ranks second on the team with a .402 batting average and a ,479 on-base percentage, while she leads the team with 34 runs scored. Isis Cabral is hitting .392 on the year and ranks second in the NSIC with six triples and is seventh in the league with a .504 on-base percentage.

Kyla Larson (.377) and Ashley Hill (.319) are each hitting above .300 in the potent Beavers lineup, while Lauren Cowden tops the conference with seven triples.

Kylie Patrick and Laura Mendez anchor the Minot State pitching staff. Patrick is 11-6 on the year with a 4.75 ERA, while Mendez is 9-9 with a 5.98 ERA.

Bemidji State, which is 13-17 overall and 2-6 in the NSIC, will be playing its home opener on Tuesday against Minot State. Bemidji State will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak when it hosts the Beavers.

The doubleheader is slated to begin at 1 p.m. at Chet Anderson Stadium.