Bill Triplett might have his best team since taking the helm of Minot State’s softball program in 2008.

The Beavers finished their season-opening tournament last weekend in Las Vegas with a 3-2 record. But that’s no indication of what’s to come, Triplett said.

“It was the first time outside on the dirt, but we played really well,” he said. “I don’t think we missed a cutoff man in five games. … We only had a couple errors fielding in five games and played really well.

“I would say, looking at the past seven or eight years, that we’re farther ahead right now than any other season.”

In 2013, Minot State finished its first season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with a banner year, advancing to the NCAA Division II Central Region tournament. Last year, the Beavers compiled 29 wins and 20 losses while claiming the eighth and final spot in the NSIC tournament.

Triplett said their goal in 2015 is to return to the regional tournament, one way or another.

“We either want to get in the top eight and win the tournament or finish No. 1 (in the NSIC regular season),” he said. “We just want to get to that next level. Get into that regional tournament, try to get to that super regional. And once you’re there, you’re knocking on the door to get to the (Division II women’s College) World Series. We don’t care how we get there, we just want the postseason very badly.”

With six starting fielders returning as well as senior ace pitcher Mindy Lorimor, the Beavers have the tools to reach those goals.

Of course they’ll have to replace four seniors, including 2013 NSIC player of the year Jen Dixon, who ended her career as the program’s all-time leader in home runs and RBIs.

With talent like Dixon, Katie Backes and sisters Stacy and Emily Fournier as mainstays in the lineup, that’s left a handful of returners champing at the bit, eager for their own opportunities.

“It showed in Vegas, especially in the first game,” sophomore third baseman-pitcher Alyssa Cornejo said. “We were up by a lot and we threw in some new girls and they stepped up to the plate and they performed out there.”

Added senior shortstop Ali Cygan: “Comfortable, that’s a good word for it. Even though we have a couple new girls, we still have all those returners, so we kind of know each other.”

The returning regulars found success at the plate over the weekend, as well.

Sophomore second baseman Rachel Burdette went 8-fo-15 with a homer, five runs and two RBIs, while senior left fielder Leyna Downey was 7-of-15 with four RBIs and two runs.

“One cool thing was we got home from the trip and I started looking at the stats and stuff,” Triplett said, “and I think our leading hitter down there was Rachel Burdette in our 7 hole and our second-leading hitter was Leyna Downey in our 9 hole. And then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, they all had their moments.”

“We’ve got the potential to be two-deep at every position,” he added.

As a team, Minot State batted .351. Senior right fielder Melissa Bell and Cygan each went yard, as did freshman first baseman Ashley Hill, in the first at-bat of her career, no less.

The Beavers opened with a 16-2 pounding of Black Hills State (S.D.) and a 9-4 win over Northwest Nazarene on Friday. They led into the fifth inning of a 7-5 loss to California State-San Bernardino on Saturday before topping Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 6-4 that night. Saint Martin’s edged MSU 2-1 on Sunday in a pitching duel.

Lorimor went 2-1 in the circle with a 3.45 ERA over 221/3 innings. Sophomore Jenn Spencer picked up the win in the opener, allowing an earned run over 31/3 innings. Cornejo pitched 61/3 innings over the weekend with a 3.32 ERA.

“We very easily could have come home 5-0, but it just didn’t work out for us,” Triplett said. “But the pitching was pretty solid. I wouldn’t say it was outstanding, but they’re keeping us in the games. I would say they were good.”

The eighth-year Beavers coach described the NSIC as “loaded,” per usual.

Minot State still has 18 contests remaining before conference play, including four games in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 25 and 26.

Those, and the four in St. Cloud, Minn., on March 7 and 8, will answer many of Triplett’s questions.

But so far, he likes what he sees.

Ryan Holmgren covers Minot State athletics and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @ryanholmgren.