MINOT, ND -- The Minot State softball team opened its 2023 season giving first-year head coach a resounding 1706 victory over the University of Mary in a non-conference contest, then complete a sweep of two games in their MSU Bubble Invitational with a walk-off win in 8 innings over Carroll College.
Minot State plays Dakota Wesleyan at 1 p.m., and Valley City State at 3 p.m. on Sunday in the tournament.
Minot State 17, Mary 6
Sophomore Abbey Kelley racked up five RBIs to help propel the Minot State Beavers past the Mary Marauders 17-6 on Saturday.
Sophomore Reegan Floyd (1-0) got the win for Minot State (1-0). The right-hander went five innings, giving up six runs, four earned, on 11 hits, allowing two walks and striking out five.
Kelley went 3-for-3 with two doubles in addition to her five RBIs for the Beavers. Junior Gabi Dawyduk put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI. Senior Leo Watson also helped out for Minot State, putting together two hits in two trips to the plate while adding a double and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Minot State got an RBI single from Kelley, scoring Watson from second base.
After the Marauders rallied to tie the ballgame at one, the Beavers came back to retake the lead in the second inning. The Minot State offense exploded for 13 runs, highlighted by a three-run triple off the bat of Dawyduk and a two-run double from Kelley, which brought the score to 14-1 in favor of the Beavers.
Mary narrowed Minot State's lead to 14-3 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 17-3 in the fourth inning. Junior Izzy Penner's bases-clearing double drove in all three runs for the Beavers. Mary put three runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but Minot State still coasted to the 17-6 win.
GAME NOTES
» Kelley had three hits in the game for Minot State.
» Floyd struck out five Marauders hitters.
» The Beavers power output was led by Kelley, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Kelley drove in five runs for Minot State.
» Every Minot State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Minot State's highest scoring inning was the second, when it pushed 13 runs across.
» Minot State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Minot State went 10-for-17 (.588) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 28 Mary hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and four fly balls while striking out five.
» The Beavers drew eight walks from Mary pitching.
» Kelley led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and five RBI.
» Mary was led offensively by freshman Madison Wszolek, who went 2-for-2 with a home run and four RBI.
» Sophomore Emari Evans led the Marauders pitching staff, throwing 1.1 innings of five-run ball.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
Minot State 8, Carroll 7, 8 innings
MINOT, ND --The Minot State Beavers needed eight innings to get the job done, but secured the 8-7 extra-innings win, walking it off on a single off the bat of junior Taryn Bennett to claim victory over the Carroll (MT) Fighting Saints Saturday.
Freshman Kierra Fournier (1-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Minot State (2-0). The right-hander went three innings, giving up four runs, all of them earned, on seven hits, allowing one walk and striking out three.
Junior Brooklyn Morrison led the way offensively for the Beavers, going 2-for-3 in the ballgame with two doubles, a walk and two RBI. Sophomore Abby Lohse put together a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBI. Bennett also chipped in, going 3-for-5 for Minot State with a double and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers were trailing 1-0 in the first inning when they first put runs on the board. Minot State scored twice on a two-run double off the bat of Morrison.
The Fighting Saints then tied the ballgame at two before the Beavers came back to reclaim their advantage in the third inning. Minot State brought home a pair, with one run driven in by Lohse's single, which brought the Beavers lead to 4-2.
Carroll (MT) narrowed Minot State's lead to 4-3 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 6-3 in the fifth inning. The Beavers recorded two runs off of Carroll (MT) pitching, punctuated by a run-scoring double off the bat of Lohse.
The Fighting Saints fought back, closing the gap to 6-5 until Minot State added some insurance in the sixth. Senior Jaycie Rostad crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Beavers, bringing the score to 7-5 in favor of Minot State.
Carroll (MT) then rallied to tie the ballgame at 7-7 before Minot State walked it off in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single off the bat of Bennett.
GAME NOTES
» Bennett had three hits in the game for Minot State.
» The Beavers power output was led by Morrison, who compiled two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Minot State's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Minot State grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Four Beavers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Minot State went 6-for-18 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 39 Carroll (MT) hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out five.
» The Beavers drew five walks from Carroll (MT) pitching.
» Morrison led the Beavers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.
» Carroll (MT) was led offensively by freshman Annie Davidson, who went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Freshman Janey Adair led the Fighting Saints pitching staff, throwing one inning of one-run ball.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
