SOFTBALL: Beavers string together late runs to earn split with Dragons

ST. CLOUD – A late-inning rally lifted the Bemidji State softball team over Minnesota State Moorhead on Monday to kick off a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader.

The Beavers scored straight six times to close out a 6-4 win over the Dragons in game one. The second leg of the doubleheader didn’t favor BSU as Moorhead evened the one-day series with a 5-3 victory. Both games were played in the Husky Dome in St. Cloud.

Trailing 4-0 in game one, Emmarie Yeager doubled in Bemidji State’s first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Jennifer Smith followed with an RBI single before Yeager scored on a wild pitch.

Kora Martin tied the game in the top of the fifth inning on a fielding error. Alexa Christenson gave BSU (12-12, 1-1 NSIC) its first lead in the top of the six with a run-scoring single. Houts tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning, scoring on a fielder’s choice.

Kyla Damerow earned the win in the circle. She allowed three earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Stella Dolan picked up a five-out save.

The Dragons (17-7, 5-1) thwarted Bemidji State’s comeback effort in game two. The Beavers took a 3-2 lead in the third inning on an RBI single from Christenson and a two-run double from Mariah Stevenson.

Moorhead scored twice in the fourth inning on a fielding error, then doubled in a run off the bat of Eliya Johnson in the top of the fifth inning.

Evey Evans earned the win for Moorhead. She allowed two hits over the final three innings. Dolan dropped to 8-5 on the season, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.

The Beavers' Tuesday doubleheader against Minot State is canceled. Bemidji State will head to Winona at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 7, for a doubleheader.

Bemidji State 6, MSU Moorhead 4

BSU 000 311 1 – 6-10-3

MSUM 202 000 0 – 4-7-2

WP: Damerow (5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)

LP: Evans (2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)

S: Dolan (1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)

MSU Moorhead 5, Bemidji State 3

BSU 003 000 0 – 3-7-2

MSUM 110 210 X – 5-7-1

WP: Evans (3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB)

LP: Dolan (4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)