MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University softball's pitching tandem of Jenn Spencer and Clarissa Ramirez was dominate in the circle.

Spencer scattered five hits in a complete-game shutout in game 1 and Ramirez tossed a three-hit shutout in game 2 to propel the Beavers to a sweep of visiting Concordia-St. Paul in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball Saturday at Herb Parker Stadium.

"As a tandem, that was probably the best they have looked all year," said head coach Bill Triplett. "It really makes a difference when the defense plays clean behind them and they don't walk anybody."

The Beavers (23-18 overall, 15-13 NSIC) continued its quest for the NSIC playoffs, moving into seventh place in the Northern Sun with just two games to play. There is a logjam of teams from sixth to 11th – or one spot out the postseason – as just 2.5 games separate Bemidji State (sixth) and the University of Mary (11th).

While there are multiple scenarios heading into the season finale with No. 10 ranked Minnesota State Sunday (12/2 p.m.), the simplest is a combination of one win for Minot State or one loss for either U-Mary, Northern State (10th) or Southwest Minnesota State (ninth).

"I looked in July when we got the schedule on who we played the last weekend because this league has always come down the last game for those 7, 8, 9, 10 teams and sure enough, we had the best team in the league," Triplett said. "But anything can happen and we will go out and do our best. If we pitch like we did today, we have a chance.

"I was so happy how we took care of business and in the second game poured it on, batter after batter hitting it hard. I'm really proud of how far we have come this year."

In game 1 Saturday, Spencer was lights out as she only allowed multiple hits once, giving up two in the fifth but erased that with a double play by Beavers second baseman Rachel Burdette. She gave up five hits and struck out four to improve to 13-11.

The Beavers got an early run in a familiar way with Jordan Grant reaching on an infield single and coming around to score on a double by Ashley Hill. MSU tacked on an insurance run as pinch hitter Tori Zimmermann singled home Isis Cabral with two outs in the sixth.

"It can be a race to one in game 1 because its ace against ace," Triplett said. "Getting that lead helps everyone relax, the defense relaxes and the pitchers relax. It was really good for us to get that lead. Jordan is so dangerous and puts so much pressure on teams at the top of the order."

In game 2, Ramirez was even tougher to get a hit off of. She twirled a three-hitter with four strikeouts and no walks to improve to 8-7. She allowed singles in the first and fifth innings and a double in the fourth as only one of two CSP players to reach second in the game.

The fourth was a key inning offensively for Minot State.

After a Jordan Branch RBI hit scoring Cabral game Minot State a 1-0 lead after two innings, the Beavers went to work in the fourth. Branch and Cabral got the inning going as Cabral tripled with one out and scored on a Branch single. Lauren Cowden, Burdette and Hill all drove in runs in the inning and Cowden, Zimmermann and Hill all doubled.

"Branch had two big hits for us, she drove the ball to get us up 1-0 and drove another for a 2-0 lead," said Triplett. "With Zimmermann in the lineup it moves everyone down and we turn it over with good hitter so much quicker."

The Beavers finish off the regular season with the 10th ranked Mavericks Sunday at 12 and 2 p.m. at The Herb.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.