BRANSON, Mo. – Minot State senior pitcher Jasmine Blizzard joined an elite group Monday in Missouri.
Striking out five, Blizzard led Minot State to an 8-0 win in 5 innings over Missouri Valley as she threw her first collegiate no-hitter and the eighth in Beaver history.
Blizzard's gem capped a day that saw Minot State (9-8 overall) pick up a pair of wins as the Beavers rallied, then hung on, to beat Cottey (Nev.) 8-7 to start the week at the Spring Break Games.
Minot State is back in action playing two more games on Tuesday at the Spring Break Games, taking on McKendree at 1 p.m. and Washburn at 3 p.m.
Minot State 8, Cottey 7
BRANSON, Mo. – The Minot State bats erupted for six runs in the top of the sixth inning, then the Beavers hung on to beat the Cottey Comets 8-7 in Minot State's first day of action at the Spring Break Games.
Taylor Smith had a two-run triple in the Beavers' six-run rally, while Paige Kellogg, Hannah Murray, Sara Van Wickler, and Taylor Eatherton each added an RBI in the charge as Minot State erased a 5-1 deficit.
Abbey Kelley's RBI single in the top of the seventh stretched the lead to 8-5 and proved to be the game winner.
Calley Olson (1-1) earned the win, pitching three innings in relief and striking out two Cottey hitters as she stranded the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the seventh.
Reegan Floyd got the start and struck out four Comets in four innings while allowing three runs.
Offensively, Van Wickler led the way, going 3-for-4 in the win, while Kellogg, Smith, and Kelley each had a pair of hits. Smith also added 3 RBIs in the win.
Minot State 8, Missouri Valley 0, 5 inn.
BRANSON, Mo. -- Senior Jasmine Blizzard turned in a brilliant performance on Monday, throwing a no-hitter and striking out five to lead the Minot State Beavers past the Missouri Valley Vikings 8-0.
Blizzard (3-2) added her third win of the season to her outstanding performance. The right-hander struck out five for Minot State on her way to the record books. The no-hitter is the first for Minot State in two years as teammate Reegan Floyd threw an 8-0, 5-inning no-hitter against Regina on March 18, 2023.
At the plate, the Beavers were led by junior Sara Van Wickler, who went 3-for-3 on the day with two doubles, a triple and two RBI. Junior Taylor Smith put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Junior Paige Kellogg also contributed for Minot State, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a double and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers took the lead for good in the first, scoring for the first time in the inning. Minot State got an RBI single from Smith, scoring Van Wickler from third base.
The Beavers then tacked on runs in the second and fifth innings, with their biggest output coming in the second when they scored four times. The big hit in that inning was a two-run double off the bat of Kellogg.
GAME NOTES
» Van Wickler compiled three base hits in the game for Minot State.
» Blizzard struck out five Vikings hitters.
» Minot State got a great power hitting day from Van Wickler, who reached safely with three extra-base hits.
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the second, when it pushed four 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.
» The Beavers out-hit the Vikings at an 11-0 clip.
» Minot State pitchers faced 16 Missouri Valley hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and six fly balls while striking out five.
» Van Wickler led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a triple and two RBI.
This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
