BEMIDJI, Minn. -- The Minot State University softball team used a big day at the plate and in the circle from Gabi Dawyduk to sweep a doubleheader 13-5 and 6-2 over Bemidji State on the road Saturday. 

Dawyduk drove in four runs and tossed 7.0 innings with four strikeouts to help move the Beavers to 21-19 overall and 14-12 in conference play with the pair of victories. Bemidji State falls to 10-30 overall and 6-20 in NSIC play with the two losses. The Beavers tighten their grip on 10th place in the NSIC, which is the final postseason spot as they have clinched an appearance in the conference tournament and have two games left to play tomorrow at Minnesota Crookston. 

The NSIC Tournament begins on May 13 in Rochester, Minnesota and the 10th-seeded Beavers would face the 7th-seeded Northern State Wolves as of the end of action today. 

Junior pitcher Trinity Valentine has earned four straight wins with 16 strikeouts during that span to push her season total to 110 strikeouts. Valentine tossed 3.0 innings with six strikeouts to earn a victory in Game 1. 
 

GAME 1 | Minot State 13, Bemidji State 5
Freshman Gabi Dawyduk collected four RBIs to help lead the Minot State Beavers over the Bemidji State Beavers 13-5 in Game 1. 

Junior Trinity Valentine (W, 12-8) got the win for Minot State (20-19, 13-12). The right-hander went three shutout innings without giving up a hit, one walk, and striking out six.

Dawyduk went 3-for-4 in addition to her four RBIs for the Beavers. Senior Julia Suchan put together a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Sophomore Jazmin Karunungan also helped out for Minot State, putting together three hits in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Minot State got on the board thanks to Suchan's RBI double with one out.

The Bemidji State Beavers failed to push any runs across before the Beavers built on their lead in the fourth inning. The Minot State offense exploded for 11 runs, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Dawyduk and a two-run single from freshman Lenora Watson, which brought the Beavers lead to 12-0.

Bemidji State narrowed Minot State's lead to 12-2 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 13-2 in the fifth inning. The Beavers scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Dawyduk. Bemidji State put three runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but Minot State still coasted to the 13-5 win.

GAME NOTES
» Minot State got three-hit games from three different hitters.
» Dawyduk drove in four runs for Minot State.
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the fourth when it pushed 11 runs across.
» MSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Four Beavers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Beavers had a total of 15 hits.
» The Beavers out-hit the Bemidji State Beavers at a 15-6 clip.
» Minot State went 10-for-20 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» The Beavers got two hits in six at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Minot State pitchers faced 23 Bemidji State hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and three fly balls while striking out seven.
» Dawyduk led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
» Bemidji State was led offensively by sophomore Emmarie Yeager, who went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
» Freshman Stella Dolan led the Bemidji State Beavers pitching staff, throwing two innings of six-run ball.

GAME 2 | Minot State 6, Bemidji State 2
The Beavers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 6-2 victory over the Bemidji State Beavers in Game 2

Freshman Gabi Dawyduk (W, 5-7) started in the circle and picked up the win for Minot State (21-19, 14-12). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on nine hits, allowing no walks and striking out four.

At the plate, the Beavers were paced by senior Isis Cabral, who went 3-for-4 on the day with a home run and an RBI. Dawyduk compiled a standout performance at the dish as well, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Sophomore Jazmin Karunungan also contributed for Minot State, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers got the scoring started early, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Dawyduk drove in two runs for Minot State with a single, that scored Karunungan and sophomore Jamie Odlum.

The Bemidji State Beavers failed to push any runs across before the Beavers offense got back to their scoring ways the next inning. Freshman Lenora Watson came across to score the lone run of the inning for Minot State, which brought the score to 3-0 in favor of the Beavers.

Minot State held Bemidji State without a run before building their lead to 4-0 the following inning. The Beavers scored a run on Cabral's leadoff home run off Kyla Damerow.

Minot State kept the Bemidji State Beavers scoreless before building on their lead in the fifth inning. Cabral and Dawyduk each scored a run for the Beavers in the inning, bringing the Minot State advantage to 6-0. Bemidji State put two runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Beavers still coasted to the 6-2 win.

GAME NOTES
» Minot State got three-hit games from both Cabral and Dawyduk.
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the fifth when it pushed two runs across.
» MSU grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» The Beavers out-hit the Bemidji State Beavers at an 11-9 clip.
» Karunungan stole two bases in Saturday's game.
» Minot State pitchers faced 30 Bemidji State hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and four fly balls while striking out four.
» Cabral led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI.
» Bemidji State was led offensively by junior Kora Martin, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
» Junior Kaidron McClafferty led the Bemidji State Beavers pitching staff, throwing two shutout innings.

UP NEXT
The Beavers are back in action on Sunday, May 9, when they play a regular-season-ending doubleheader at Minnesota Crookston on the road at 12 p.m.