The Minot Honeybees were just a hit shy of capping off a furious late-game rally to sweep a doubleheader with La Crosse (Wisc.) on Friday afternoon, but would have to settle for a split.

The Honeybees knocked off the Steam, 4-3, in the opener before dropping a 9-8 decision in the finale after scoring five runs over the final two innings to nearly complete the comeback. Minot rallied in Game 1 after surrendering three runs in the top half of the first inning, scoring the game’s final four wins over the first three innings and limiting La Crosse (10-18) to just three hits.

Virginia Mambelli put the Honeybees on the board with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to plate Carly Cummings before Bella Cimino’s home run to lead off the second inning brought them to within a run of tying the game. Minot would find that game-tying run later in the inning on another sacrifice fly, this one off the bat of Cadey Shipman.

Cimino drove in the game-winning win in the third with an RBI single to left, scoring Mambelli. Cimino and Cummings each had a pair of hits in the victory, with Cummings delivering a triple.

Jackie Albrecht recorded her fifth win on the mound this season, tossing a complete-game three-hitter, striking out 11 batters.

The Honeybees (17-13) couldn’t recapture that same comeback magic in Game 2, despite a valiant effort. La Crosse again jumped out to an early lead, this time putting up four runs in the first inning. Avary Makarewicz started what would be a huge game for her at the plate with a grand slam to left field on a 2-1 count.

Makarewicz was just warming up, as a sacrifice fly in the third gave her a fifth RBI. A pitching change didn’t slow her down either, as she roped a two-run double to right in her third at-bat, scoring Ashlee Chantos and Jackie Larsen for a 7-RBI night.

The Honeybees trailed 9-3 entering the sixth before plating two runs to get within earshot of the lead. Minot loaded the bases with two outs when Cimino singled to left to score Cummings and Mambelli. Olivia Hernandez followed with a single to bring around Shayna Myshrall and cut La Crosse’s lead to one.

Karman Rowe came in to close, tasked with getting the final out. She walked Albrecht to put runners on first and second, but managed to get Shipman to fly out to right field to end the threat and salvage the split.

Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs for Minot’s only extra-base hit of the game. Cummings and Mambelli also finished with two hits.

The Honeybees hit the road to take on Mankato (Minn.) on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.