Bismarck, N.D. – Minot State University brought a little Florida heat in their bats back north to open the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball season.

MSU bashed eight home runs – two each by Ashley Hill (Fr., 1B, Mesa, Ariz.) and Melissa Bell (Sr., UTL, Belgrade, Mont.) – in a 15-2 rout of rival the University of Mary in the NSIC opener for both teams Tuesday at the UOM Softball Field.

The eight HRs ties the Beavers with six other teams for second in DII history. Only Angelo State's nine home runs in a game tops MSU all time.

Game two of the double header was called due to inclement weather. No makeup date was immediately announced.

"Our hitters really got it done today," said MSU head coach Bill Triplett. "I don't think I've ever seen eight home runs by one team in a five-inning game before today. I wish we could have had a nicer day. We were on a serious roll."

Minot State (20-4 overall, 1-0 NSIC) wasted little time in getting the upper hand as Ali Cygan (Sr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.) laced a double to score Jordan Grant (So., CF, Adelnato, Calif.) and Hill plated Cygan and herself with the first of two HRs in the top of the first.

After U-Mary (11-16, 0-1) scored a run in the bottom of the first, MSU exploded for five more in the second getting HRs by Bell and Leyna Downey (Sr., OF, Missoula, Mont.). Sarah Nicks (So., C, Grossmont, Calif.) hit a solo shot in the third, Bell and Cygan went back-to-back in the fourth and Hill and Rachel Burdette (So., UTL, Temecula, Calif.) went back-to-back in the fifth before the mercy rule came into effect.

The Beavers, winners of nine straight games, finished with 14 hits and scored a run in each of the fifth innings. MSU's top five hitters of Grant, Bell, Cygan, Hill and Burdette combined to go 11 for 17 with six home runs, 12 runs scored and 13 runs driven in.

Mindy Lorimor was steady in four innings, giving up three hits and two runs while striking out four to run her record to 14-3 overall. Jenn Spencer (So., P, Winnipeg, Manitoba) worked one inning of relief and didn't give up a run.

The Marauders Julissa Perales went 1 for 2 and drove in a run in the loss. Nena Dudley worked just 1 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs to fall to 9-6 on the year.

Hill finished the game going 2 for 3 with five RBIs, while Bell and Cygan were 3 for 4 each, with Bell driving in four and Cygan two in the win.

The Beavers are back on the road for two crucial early-season double headers, traveling to Wayne State College Saturday and to No. 24 ranked Augustana College Sunday.