MINOT, N.D. -- The Minot State University softball team used nine strikeouts by
Trinity Valentine and two doubles and two RBI from
Lenora Watson to coast to a two-game sweep over the University of Mary on Monday afternoon at the South Hill Softball Complex.
The Beavers break their six-game losing streak with a two-game sweep over UMary and improve to 9-7 overall as well as 2-0 in NSIC play. The game was initially scheduled to be played tomorrow but due to impending poor weather and the desire to move the game outdoors by both teams, it was moved up to today at the South Hill Softball Complex.
MSU looked reinvigorated to be playing outdoors and played two complete games from the batter's box and circle.
GAME 1 | Minot State 6, Mary 2
Junior pitcher
Trinity Valentine was mowing people down on Monday, fanning nine Mary hitters over seven innings of work to help propel the Minot State Beavers past the Marauders 6-2.
In addition to her nine strikeouts, Valentine (4-3) tossed seven innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on eight hits and walking three for Minot State.
At the plate, the Beavers were led by sophomore
Jamie Odlum, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a triple and a walk. Sophomore
Maggie Mercer furnished a standout performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. Senior
Isis Cabral also helped out for Minot State, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding two RBIs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom of the first inning with the game still scoreless. Minot State scored twice, with one run coming across on Cabral's single.
The Marauders failed to push any runs across before the Beavers built on their lead in the third inning. The Beavers managed to push across two runs in the inning, which brought the score to 4-0 in favor of the MSU.
UMary narrowed Minot State's lead to 4-2 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 6-2 in the sixth inning. The score remained 6-2 for the rest of the game, as Minot State coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the sixth when it pushed two runs across.
» Minot State grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Both Mercer and sophomore
Lauryn DeGuzman stole two bases in Monday's game.
» The Beavers stole six bases as a team.
» Minot State pitchers limited Mary to just 1-for-12 (.083) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 32 Mary hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and four fly balls while striking out nine.
» The Beavers drew four walks from Mary pitching.
» Odlum led the Beavers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple.
» Mary was led offensively by junior Kaitlyn Alvarado, who went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
» Freshman Alissa Alvarado led the Marauders pitching staff, throwing six innings of six-run ball.
GAME 2 | Minot State 10, Mary 2 (5 innings)
The Minot State Beavers took a 3-1 lead in the first inning and never trailed from there on the way to a 10-2 win against the Mary Marauders on Monday.
Sophomore
Zoya Robbins (2-2) started in the circle and picked up the win for Minot State (9-7, 2-0). The right-hander went 4.2 innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on six hits, allowing two walks and striking out five.
Freshman
Lenora Watson led the way offensively for the Beavers, going 2-for-3 in the ballgame with a double and two RBIs. Sophomore
Jazmin Karunungan put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 3-for-3 with an RBI. Sophomore
Jamie Odlum also contributed, going 2-for-3 for Minot State with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Beavers first put runs on the board in the first inning. Sophomore
Maggie Mercer's run-scoring single was the big hit in Minot State's three-run inning.
The Marauders (1-14, 0-2) failed to push any runs across before the Beavers offense got back to their scoring ways the next inning. Minot State scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Odlum, which brought the score to 4-1 in favor of the Beavers.
Minot State kept UMary without a run before building their lead to 7-1 the following inning.
The Marauders gained ground, closing the gap to 7-2 until Minot State added some insurance in the fifth. The three-run frame for the Beavers was punctuated by a two-run single off the bat of Watson, bringing the score to 10-2 in favor of Minot State and ending the matchup by run-rule after five innings.
GAME NOTES
» Karunungan compiled three base knocks in the game for Minot State.
» Robbins struck out five Marauders hitters.
» Every Minot State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the fifth when it pushed three runs across.
» Minot State grabbed a 3-1 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead.
» The Beavers out-hit the Marauders at a 13-6 clip.
» Odlum stole two bases in Monday's game.
» The Beavers stole six bases as a team.
» Minot State went 6-for-10 (.600) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 23 Mary hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and six fly balls with five strikeouts.
» Watson led the Beavers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
» Mary was led offensively by junior Rachael Laetsch, who went 1-for-2 with a triple and an RBI.
UP NEXT
The Beavers are back in action on Friday, April 2, when they will take on Minnesota State on the road at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Mankato, Minn.
