MINOT, N.D. -- Sophomore Julia Suchan recorded six hits and Skyla Neubauer drove in four runs, but Minot State dropped a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader to Northern State on Wednesday in the Beavers home finale at the South Hill Softball Complex. Minot State had a late rally fall short in the opener as the Beavers lost 12-9 and Northern State capped the sweep with a 7-1 win in game two.

Suchan was 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in game one and was 2-for-3 in game two. Neubauer was 2-for-4 with a run scored and four RBIs in game one and added a base hit in the second game.

With the losses, Minot State dropped to 23-20 overall on the season and 10-12 in the NSIC. The Beavers have four games remaining in the regular season, two at Minnesota State and two at Concordia-St. Paul, as they look to qualify for the NSIC Tournament. Minot State is currently in ninth place in the league standings with the top 10 teams in the conference comprising the tournament field. The Beavers are one game behind Concordia-St. Paul for eighth place in the NSIC standings and are a game ahead of Wayne State and two games ahead of Mary and Southwest Minnesota State.

Northern State, which improved to 25-17 overall and 15-7 in conference play, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game one in the top of the first inning, but the Beavers would respond. Minot State scored four times in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.

Suchan doubled to left to lead off the inning and scored when Tori Zimmermann blasted a double to left cutting the Wolves lead to 3-1. Kyla Larson followed with a triple to right that brought home Zimmermann and got the Beavers to within 3-2.

Isis Cabral drew a walk and stole second base and, with two outs, Neubauer reached on an infield single that caromed off the first baseman's glove allowing both Larson and Cabral to score putting the Beavers up 4-3.

Northern State responded with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth inning to regain the lead at 9-4.

Minot State got right back into the game by pushing across three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cabral walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second when Ashley Hill singled to leftfield. With two outs, Neubauer ripped a double to left bringing home Cabral and pinch-runner Melissa Estrada to cut the lead to 9-6.

Lauren Cowden then hit a single to left that scored Neubauer to trim the Wolves lead to 9-7.

Northern State answered with its third consecutive inning with three runs scored to push the lead to 12-7, but the Beavers were not done.

Suchan hit a one-out single in the seventh inning and advanced to third base when Zimmermann hit a double to left. Larson hit an RBI groundout to bring home Suchan cutting the lead to 12-8.

Cabral hit a double to left centerfield to score Zimmermann, but winning pitcher Jamie Fisher induced a ground out to end the game.

Northern State took control of game two in the top of the first inning by scoring four runs and then turned the game over to Makenzie Merritt. Merritt went 7.0 innings and allowed six hits and struck out six to pick up the victory.

Minot State managed to push across a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Hill hit a RBI single that scored Cabral.

Minot State resumes play on Saturday (April 28) when it meets Minnesota State for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Beavers conclude the regular season with a doubleheader at Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday (April 29) beginning at 12 p.m.