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MSU softball swept by Mankato

MANKATO, Minn. — Lauren Cowden and Julia Suchan each had three hits and Ashley Hill drove in two runs, but the Minot State softball team dropped both ends of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader to Minnesota State on Saturday at the MSU Softball Diamond. The Mavericks won the opener 11-3 and completed the sweep with a 9-1 win in game two.

Despite the two losses, Minot State remains alive in the hunt to secure a berth into the NSIC Tournament. If the Beavers earn a split on Sunday against Concordia-St. Paul that will lock down a tournament berth and Minot State can still gain entry into the postseason pending the results of Wayne State, Mary and Southwest Minnesota State regardless of the outcome of the doubleheader against the Golden Bears.

Cowden was 1-for-2 in game one and was 2-for-3 in the second game, while Suchan had two hits and an RBI in game one and added a hit and an RBI in the second game.

Kyla Larson, Hill, Skyla Neubauer and Isis Cabral each recorded one hit in the doubleheader for the Beavers.

Minot State (23-22, 10-14 NSIC) jumped out to early leads in both games, but fell victim to the Mavericks who hit three home runs and banged out 26 hits in the two games.

Cowden walked to lead off game one and scampered to third when Suchan followed with a base hit. The Beavers tried to execute a double steal, but Cowden was cut down at home plate for the first out of the inning.

Following a strikeout, Larson singled to left and Hill then roped a double to left that scored Suchan and Larson giving Minot State an early 2-0 lead.

Minnesota State (32-14, 13-9 NSIC) responded with six runs in the bottom of the first inning and tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the second inning.

Minot State got back on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning when Cowden singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Suchan plated Cowden with the Beavers third run of the game when she singled up the middle.

The Mavericks answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning and secured the win in the bottom of the sixth inning when Hannah McCarville led off the inning with a home run.

Minot State opened the scoring in game two in the top of the first inning. Cowden singled to right and stole second base and scored when Suchan singled to centerfield giving the Beavers a 1-0 lead.

Minnesota State responded with three runs in the bottom of the first and added five more runs in the bottom of the second inning. The Mavericks clinched the win with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Minot State will conclude the regular season this afternoon when it visits Concordia-St. Paul for a NSIC doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.

— MSU athletics

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