Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Minot, ND – Dominant pitching for the second straight day led the University of Mary softball team to a second straight doubleheader sweep. A day after blanking the Beavers of Bemidji State University over two games, the Marauders limited the Beavers of Minot State University to a solitary run in the twin bill. U-Mary captured the opener 4-0 and claimed game two 5-1 in a battle between two former conference foes that will be reunited in the Northern Sun next season.
 
Rachel Davis and Emily Sinclair combined to shut out the Beavers (26-12 overall) in the opener and Erin Keen allowed a single run in the final inning of the day. The trio allowed 11 hits in 14 innings and struck out 11 hitters while stopping a 16-game Minot State winning streak.
 
Kristin Ormsby provided the big stick for the Marauders (23-16), leading the team with three hits and three RBI. The freshman third baseman had a double and a triple.
 
In a pitching duel to open the day, Davis didn't allow a hit until the third inning.
 
The Marauders recorded their first hit of the day when Melissa Gonzalez tripled with one out in the fourth. Allison Brown followed with a single and the Marauders led 1-0. Minot State would get two runners on base in both the fourth and fifth innings but couldn't find a way to score.
 
U-Mary broke the game open in the sixth. After Brown connected for a one out double, Ormsby cracked a two-run home run. The Marauders added another run later in the inning on a miscue by the Beavers defense.
 
Davis threw five shutout innings and recorded four strikeouts. She allowed six hits and one walk. Sinclair threw two perfect innings to complete the shutout, striking out the side in order in the sixth and ending the game with a strikeout.
 
Ormsby was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Brown added two hits, scored once and drove in a run.
 
Kyla Thiesen and Melissa Bell each had two hits for the Beavers.
 
The Marauders jumped out to a quick lead in the night cap, scoring once in the top of the first. Jenna Button led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored when Melissa Gonzalez grounded out to second.
 
A four-run outburst in the third sealed the game for U-Mary. After a walk, an error and a single by Jessica Alvarado to load the bases, Gonzalez singled home two runs. After another Beavers error moved the two remaining runners into scoring position, Ormsby doubled home two runs.
 
The Beavers would finally break through against Keen in the seventh when Tiffany Friesen led off with a home run. That run stopped a string of 25 straight scoreless innings the Marauders had thrown against the Beavers – both Bemidji State and Minot State.
 
Keen gave up just the one run while striking out three and allowing five hits and five walks.
 
Five different Marauders recorded one hit apiece in the game. Gonzalez drove in three runs and Ormsby two.
 
The Marauders return to Northern Sun play this weekend, facing 8^th ranked and NSIC-leading Minnesota State University on Saturday and Southwest Minnesota State on Sunday. Currently tied for fifth in the conference standings, the Marauders need to remain in the top eight to qualify for the conference tournament.
 
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