ABERDEEN, S.D. -- The Minot State University softball team split the opening two games in the 2021 PC Dome Classic at Presentation College with an 8-4 win over Briar Cliff to start the day and a 5-3 loss to Morningside to close Friday's action in Aberdeen, S.D.
The Beavers move to 1-1 on the season with the split against two NAIA opponents in the season-opening Classic.
Game 1 vs. Briar Cliff (8-4 W)
A scoreless first inning gave way to a six-run second inning as both Briar Cliff and Minot State put three runs on the board in the second frame.
BC brought in three on three hits including a two-run double by Josie Chronic to put the Chargers in front 3-0 going to the home half of the second.
Minot State immediately responded with three runs in the home half of the inning. The Beavers would also tally three hits capped by an RBI single from
Kiera Shwaluk to even the game, 3-3.
Briar Cliff moved back in front with one run in the top of the third inning and then Minot State moved in front for good with a two-run single up the middle by
Haley Hernandez scoring both Cabral and
Jamie Odlum moving in front 5-4.
The Beavers added three more runs. One in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by
Lenora Watson and two more in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Suchan and a run-scoring double by Odlum to clinch an 8-4 win in the first game of the day.
Zoya Robbins (W, 1-0) earned her first win of the season after tossing 4.0 innings with five strikeouts and surrendering just two walks.
Trinity Valentine tossed 3.0 innings of relief out of the bullpen and did not allow a run on one hit with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
Shwaluk finished 2-for-4 with one RBI. Cabral recorded two hits in four plate appearances and drove in one run. Odlum finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI. Hernandez drove in two runs with her one hit in four plate appearances.
Game 2 vs. Morningside (5-3 L)
MSU got off on the right fight with a run in the top of the first inning.
Julia Suchan scored on a double to right-center by
Isis Cabral after Suchan reached on an error by the third baseman.
The Beavers lead lasted until the bottom half of the second inning when Morningside scored two runs, the first on a single to right by Taylor Richter to score Sydney Peterson and the second run on a ground out to short by Mykel Gray scoring Lexie Stolen giving the Mustangs a 2-1 lead through two innings.
The Beavers tied the game in the top of the fifth inning when Suchan singled to right and Shwaluk scored. Shwaluk reached base on a throwing error by the Mustang's third baseman Morgan Nixon.
Minot State and Morningside would remain tied 3-3 and head to extra innings. The Beavers grabbed a one-run lead in the top of the eighth inning when Cabral doubled to center and Suchan scored to move in front 4-3.
Morningside responded in the bottom of the eighth with a three-run inning and walked off on the Beavers 5-3. The Mustangs scored those three runs on two hits including a two-run double to left field by Mykel Gray to clinch the win.
Cabral finished 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Beavers offensively.
The Beavers softball team is back in action tomorrow with two more games in the 2021 PC Dome Classic from Aberdeen, South Dakota. MSU faces Jamestown and the host's Presentation College at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.
