MOORHEAD, Minn. — Senior shortstop Aunica Novacek hit a tie-breaking grand slam in the sixth inning to help the Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team earn a 6-2 win over Minot State in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Thursday at Scheels Field in Moorhead, Minn. The win gave the Dragons a split on the day as Minot State won Game 1 by a 7-3 score.

The Dragons are now 10-18 overall and 3-7 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference while Minot State is 20-15 overall and 7-7 in the league.

Novacek had a huge game at the plate in Game 2.  She was 3-for-3 with five RBI and two home runs, including the first grand slam for the Dragons since Kristy Bruni hit one on April 18, 2015.  Novacek also added a double.

Freshman outfielder Elizabeth Johnson was 2-for-4, while sophomore outfielder Payton Gaber and freshman DH Becky Berth had doubles. Freshman first baseman Ashley McCance had an RBI with a sacrifice fly while sophomore outfielder Madison Paige was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Senior catcher Megan Asham also scored a run.

Sophomore pitcher Tori White picked up the win with an impressive mound outing, going the distance and allowing two earned runs in seven innings. She struck out one and walked two.

"As a team we did a really good job of making adjustments between Game 1 and Game 2," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We were more aggressive at the plate which helped. Arnica had a huge game at the plate and a clutch grand slam. Tori did a really good job of keeping their hitters off balance."

The game was tied at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth. Paige singled and one out later, Berth walked. One out later, Asham reached on an error to load the bases. Novacek came through with the clutch two-out hit, a grand slam to center, to break the tie and giving MSUM a 6-2 lead. That was plenty for White, who did not allow a run after the third inning.

Minot State scored in the third to make it 2-0. The Dragons cut the lead in half as Novacek doubled and moved to third on a single by Johnson. McCance hit a fly to center to score Novacek with MSUM's first run. In the fifth Novacek hit a solo homer to tie the game at 2-2, setting up her heroics in the sixth.

In Game 1, sophomore third baseman Emma Dummer was 2-for-3 with a homer, three RBI and a run scored. Berth was 1-for-2 while junior second baseman Lexie Kennedy was 1-for-3; both scored runs. Paige and McCance added hits.

Berth took the loss, giving up seven earned runs in seven innings. She struck out five and walked six.

Dummer hit an RBI single to score Kennedy to give MSUM a 1-0 lead. The Beavers scored three runs in the third, thanks to two hits and three walks, to take the lead at 3-1.  Dummer hit a two-run homer in the fourth to score Berth to make it 3-3. Minot scored four unanswered runs to make the final count 7-3.

MSUM's doubleheader at Augustana on Saturday has been canceled and will not be rescheduled. The Dragons' doubleheader at Wayne State which was scheduled for Sunday has been moved to Monday in Wayne, Neb. MSUM will then travel to St. Cloud State on Tuesday.