MINOT, N.D. — Freshman pitcher Jordan Hall picked up her first collegiate win on the mound and senior first baseman Lauren Meeker drove in two runs to help the Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team top Minot State, 3-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Wednesday in Minot, N.D. MSUM settled for a split on the day as the Beavers held on for a 4-3 win in Game 2.

MSUM is 8-23 overall and 3-11 in the NSIC while Minot State is 14-13 and 6-8 in the league.

Hall picked up her first collegiate win in the opener, going the full seven innings. She struck out three and walked two while allowing two runs, only one earned. She gave up six hits.

Sophomore shortstop Taylor Roddie was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while senior first baseman Lauren Meeker was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Senior center fielder Carly Williamson was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Sophomore left fielder Aunica Novacek and sophomore catcher Savanah Tweet each had hits. Williamson, Roddie and Novacek had stolen bases.

"Jordan threw a great game and put us in a position to be able to come out and win that first game," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We had some timely hitting and we were able to put some runs on the board."

The Dragons scored right away in the first. Williamson singled and stole second. Two outs later, she scored on Meeker's single to right, giving MSUM a 1-0 lead.  Minot State tied the game with an unearned run in the third.

MSUM capitalized on a Minot State error in the fifth to take a two-run lead. With one out, Williamson reached on an error and advanced to second on the play. Roddie singled up the middle to score Williamson to make it 2-1. Roddie stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She scored on Meeker's groundout to make it 3-1.

Minot State got a run back in the fifth to make it 3-2. The Beavers had the tying run at third and the winning run at second in the bottom of the seventh, but Hall struck out Isis Cabral to end the game and preserve the one-run win.

In the second game, freshman designated hitter Payton Gaber was 3-for-4 with an RBI, while senior right fielder Hannah Klug was 1-for-3 with a run scored.  Novacek was 1-for-1 with a double and two walks. Roddie was 1-for-4 while Meeker had an RBI. Junior catcher Megan Asham scored a run.

Freshman pitcher Becky Volkert took the loss, going four-plus innings. She gave up four runs, three earned, striking out two while walking none. She gave up eight hits. Freshman pitcher Tori White pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

MSUM fell behind 4-0 in the game, in large part because of a two-run homer by Jordan Branch in the fourth. The Beavers added two runs in the fifth to build the lead to four runs.

The Dragons got a run back in the sixth. Gaber singled with one out, and was pinch-ran for by sophomore KyLee Bartholomay, who later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.

A seventh-inning rally came up just short for MSUM. Asham was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Klug followed with a single up the middle. Williamson walked to load the bases. Gaber singled to center to score Asham to make it 4-2. Meeker's fielder's choice scored Klug and moved the tying run to third. MSUM's threat ended with a strikeout.  The Dragons left eight runners on in Game 2.

"We gave ourselves a chance in the seventh inning but just came up short," Fehl said.

The Dragons will play their next eight games at home, starting on Friday against Wayne State. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. at the MSUM Softball Field.