MINOT, N.D. - Action on the diamond dominated the month of March for the Beavers, and Anna LaCount and Conner Meldrim were two of Minot State's stars for the softball and baseball teams.

LaCount led the way offensively for the Beaver softball team, and as catcher, while Meldrim stepped up big on the mound with a pair of wins in five appearances for Minot State's baseball team.

Their efforts on the diamond earned LaCount the Pinnacle Employee Benefits Minot State Female Athlete of the Month honor for March, and Meldrim the Pinnacle Employee Benefits Minot State Male Athlete of the Month honor for March.

Pinnacle Employee Benefits became the title sponsor for Minot State's Athlete of the Month award during the 2021-22 academic year. The award recognizes the outstanding athletic achievements each month of one male and one female Beaver student-athlete.

Playing in 17 games for the Beaver softball team, which went 8-12 in March, LaCount led the offense, going 17-of-54 (.333) at the plate with 10 RBIs, 2 home runs, and 3 doubles. She also added a sacrifice fly, 7 sacrifice bunts, and was perfect in stolen base attempts, going 2-for-2 on the base paths.

Defensively, Minot State's catcher played in 9 games behind the plate - and was the Beavers' designated hitter in the other 8 contests - where she had 41 putouts and 5 assists without an error, and she threw out 2-of-6 opposing base stealers.

LaCount and the Minot State softball team are back in action this weekend, hosting Bemidji State on Friday and Minnesota Duluth on Saturday in doubleheaders relocated to the MSU Bubble. The Beavers will be the away team in both of the NSIC doubleheaders. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m., each day.

As for Meldrim, he was a star out of the bullpen for the Beaver baseball team, which was 5-9 in the month of March. Two of those wins belong to Meldrim, who pitched 13 1/3 innings in relief in 5 games, allowing just 4 earned runs while striking out 10 opposing batters and holding foes to a .191 batting average.

Meldrim earned the victory working 4 innings of relief at William Jewell in a 2-1, 11-inning Beaver win, striking out 3 and allowing 1 earned run on March 7. He also earned the win going 4 innings on March 28 in a 10-6 NSIC win at Augustana, allowing 1 earned run and striking out 3, once again.

Meldrim and the Minot State baseball team are back in action on the road this weekend, playing as the home team in a 3-game NSIC series relocated to Kearney, Nebraska, where they host Wayne State on Friday in a doubleheader starting at noon, and Saturday in a single game starting at noon.
 
2025-26 Pinnacle Employee Benefits Athletes of the Month
September
Zoe Banack, women's golf
Kasen Rostad, men's golf
 
October
Colby Joseph, men's hockey
Sabrina Amezcua, women's soccer
 
November
Taryn Hamling, women's basketball
Deuce Benjamin, men's basketball
 
December
Deuce Benjamin, men's basketball
Alyssa Jones, women's wrestling
 
January
Journey Miller, women's hockey
William Dyke, men's hockey
 
February
Peyton Tuhy, men's track & field
Bailey Wride, women's track & field
 
March
Anna LaCount, softball
Conner Meldrim, baseball