Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BISMARCK, N.D.—Behind a six-run inning in the first game and a five-run inning in the second, the University of Mary softball team opened Northern Sun play with a pair of wins Wednesday afternoon. U-Mary (17-9, 2-0 NSIC) used a six-run fourth inning in the first game to defeat Minot State University (13-7, 0-2) 9-2 and a five-run seventh to beat the Beavers 9-6 in the second game.
 
Despite temperatures peaking in the high 30's, the Marauders offense finished with 22 hits, including 8 extra bases, as they scored 18 runs on the day.
 
Kristin Ormsby fueled U-Mary's offense going 5-for-8 with four RBI and three runs scored.
 
Erin Keen was dominant in the circle all day for the Marauders. Keen pitched 11.2 innings, while allowing just one earned run and striking 11.
 
GAME 1
 
Amber Gamboa got U-Mary on the board in the first inning as her single to right scored Alana Norman, who also singled. The Marauders had bases loaded with one out in the inning, but hit into a double play to end the threat.
 
The Marauders would add an unearned run in the third, but the Beavers, who served as the home team on the scoreboard, rallied in the bottom of the inning to score two runs as they combined a pair of hits with a pair of errors by U-Mary.
 
With the score tied 2-2, Taylor Mendez led off the fourth with a double to right center and the next two batters reached on fielder's choices. With bases loaded Keen helped her own cause as she delivered an RBI single to right. Allison Brown followed with a bases clearing triple to give U-Mary a 6-2 lead. After a groundout, Ormsby doubled to left center to score Brown and Julissa Perales singled up the middle to score Ormsby to extend the Marauders led to 8-2.
 
Keen scattered two hits over the final three innings and U-Mary added a run in sixth on an Ormsby double as the Marauders won the first game 9-2.
 
Keen pitched seven innings and allowed just one earned run, while striking out six. Alana Norman and Kristin Ormsby each went 3-for-4 in the game.
 
GAME 2
 
Again U-Mary got on the board early in the second game as it scored three runs on two hits, while taking advantage of two errors by Minot St. Ormsby drew first blood with two-RBI double to score Brown , who singled, and Norman, who walked. The Marauders added an unearned run to take a 3-0 lead.
 
U-Mary scored a run in the second inning as Brown singled to score D. Rodriguez.
 
Minot State responded in the bottom of the third putting up six runs on five hits. With one out in the inning, Keen came in to relieve MeLanie Rodriguez, who started the game in the circle for the Marauders.
 
Trailing 6-4 headed to the seventh, U-Mary sent the heart of its lineup to the plate with one last chance to extend the game.
 
Ormsby and Perales each singled to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt Mendez walked to load the bases. An error at short on the next batter allowed the Marauders pull within one run. With the game on the line, D. Rodriguez drove a double to right center to clear the bases and give U-Mary it's first lead since the third inning. Keen followed with a double to left to score Rodriguez to give the Marauders a 9-6 lead.
 
Keen shut the door on the Beavers in the seventh to preserve a 9-6 win. Keen pitched 4.2 inning of relief and struck out five, while allowing zero runs. Brown, Ormsby and Rodriguez each had two hits for U-Mary.
 
ON DECK
 
U-Mary will be on the road this weekend as it takes on University of Sioux Falls on Saturday, March 29 and Southwest Minnesota State University on Sunday.