ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Minot State University softball got a key hit from sophomore Rachel Burdette (UTL, Temecula, Calif.) in the top of the eighth inning and a stellar pitching performance from senior Mindy Lorimor (P, Thurman, Iowa) to preserve a sweep of a pair of nonconference NCAA Division II games Saturday at the Husky Dome.

The Beavers (9-2 overall) topped fellow Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team Minnesota Crookston 9-6 in the first game and then outlasted Wisconsin-Parkside 1-0 in eight innings in a classic pitcher's duel.

Lorimor was brilliant in her start in the nightcap, going all eight, giving up just three hits and allowed only one baserunner to advance to third and just three to second all night. She struck out nine batters and didn't walk any Ranger players to run her record to 6-2.

"It thought it was her best game all year," MSU head coach Bill Triplett said. "She threw it where she wanted to, changed speeds and dominated the game. When they did get someone on second, she really buckled down and finished off the threat."

UW-P's Courtney Ellingson, however, matched Lorimor nearly every step of the way, giving up just one run on eight hits with five strikeouts, setting up Burdette's heroics in the eighth.

After the Beavers had stranded baserunners in multiple innings down the stretch, MSU got to Ellingson in the top of the eighth. Melissa Bell (Sr., UTL, Belgrade, Mont.) led off the inning with a perfect bunt single. Three batters later, Burdette rang one off the right field fence for the double, scoring the eventual game winner. Burdette nearly gave the Beavers the lead in the sixth but the Rangers' Emily Bell robbed her of a home run, crashing through the fence.

"He hit the one home run (in game 1) and was robbed on another and the got the game winner. She really stung the ball," Triplett said of Burdette. "Plus, she made one of the best defensive plays I've seen her make with a flip to first base from her glove. That was the defensive play of the day."

Ellingson was the tough-luck loser, dropping to 1-4 on the season, and finished with two of the team's three hits to pace Parkside.

Ashley Hill (Fr., 1B, Mesa, Ariz.) and Jordan Grant (So., CF, Aldenato, Calif.) each went 2 for 4 in the game with Hill swatting a double and Grant swiping her seventh stolen base on the season.

In game 1, the Beavers used the long ball to outscore Crookston, as Burdette and Ali Cygan (Sr., SS, Bozeman, Mont.)both hit home runs as Burdette went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and Cygan 1 for 2 with two runs driven in. MSU finished with 10 hits.

"We hit the ball well all day, but I thought we hit it in the air too much," Triplett said. "When we start doing that, we need to get back on the Ts and we will do that tomorrow. But, when we hit the ball, we really stung it."

MSU and UMC were tied 3-3 after three innings, but the Beavers scored three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth to open it up.

"It told the kids after the game, there are going to be games we lose and I'm going to be happy with the way we played. But there are also going to be games where, even though we win, I'm unhappy with how we played. Today was one of those days," Triplett said. "I didn't think we came out with enough intensity and kind of woke up after the third. We need to compete on every pitch."

Alyssa Cornejo (So., P/UTL, Riverside, Calif.) pitched six innings, giving up four runs and eight hits to earn the win, going 2-0 on the season. She also collected two hits and drove in one to help her cause. Grant went 3 for 3 at the top of the order to finish the day with five hits.

Minot State continues at the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, Minn., for two more with UW-P and UMC, starting at 9 a.m.