SOFTBALL: Bemidji State sweeps UMC at home to enter NSIC playoff position

BEMIDJI – The Bemidji State softball team took a significant step on Thursday toward making the NSIC playoffs.

Facing Minnesota Crookston in their first games at the BSU softball field this season, the Beavers edged the Eagles 3-2 in the early game before using a five-run inning in the second matchup to support a 6-2 victory.

With the doubleheader sweep, Bemidji State leapfrogged both Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul and now sits ninth in the NSIC standings. The top 10 teams in the conference reach the postseason.

Now 21-23 this season and 10-12 in the NSIC, BSU will host Southwest Minnesota State for a Senior Day doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, back at the BSU field. SMSU sits 10th in the conference with a 11-15 NSIC record, and with a sweep, Bemidji State will clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2017.

All three teams have four games remaining in the regular season. Any combination of BSU wins and CSP or SMSU losses that adds up to four over the final weekend of play will clinch Bemidji State a spot in the postseason.

In game one on Thursday, the Beavers waited until late to make their decisive rally. Down 2-0 after 5 1/2 innings, BSU plated three in the bottom of the sixth.

Ashley Herold got on base first with a leadoff double, scoring on Emmarie Yeager’s ensuing RBI double. Jennifer Smith doubled in Yeager in Bemidji State’s next at-bat, tying the game 2-2.

Then, with two outs in the inning, Alexa Christenson singled to right field, scoring pinch-runner Stephanie Ferguson and giving the Beavers a 3-2 lead.

Kyla Damerow made it stand up in the seventh, navigating through a one-out double to finish off the complete game. She picked up the win, allowing two runs on eight hits.

Charlotte Dombrowski took the loss for UMC (16-31, 4-18 NSIC), conceding three runs on three hits without retiring a batter in the sixth.

The second game was a bit breezier of an affair for BSU. Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the second, Bemidji State plated five runs to take control. Morgan Benedict, Kora Martin, Christenson and Elaina Christensen had run-scoring hits in the frame.

The Beavers tacked on their sixth run in the fifth on Smith’s RBI single.

Stella Dolan matched Damerow’s performance from the early game, going the distance with two runs allowed on ten hits in seven full innings in the circle.

Bemidji State 3, Minnesota Crookston 2

UMC 001 001 0 – 2-8-0

BSU 000 003 X – 3-8-1

WP: Damerow (CG, 7 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)

LP: Dombrowski (0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K)

Bemidji State 6, Minnesota Crookston 2

UMC 010 000 1 – 2-10-1

BSU 050 010 X – 6-12-0

WP: Dolan (CG, 7 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)

LP: Stuck (4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)