SOFTBALL: Beaver offense comes to life to split with MSUM

MOORHEAD -- The Bemidji State softball team kicked free from its offensive funk on Sunday, breaking out with a 7-4 win at Minnesota State Moorhead before losing a 2-1 rematch to split a road doubleheader.

The Beavers (8-18, 4-8 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) had gone 26 straight innings without a run, but they poured on four in the third inning of game one. Kora Martin brought in the first run with an RBI single, and Stephi Dullum soon followed with an RBI double. Ashley Herold then knocked a two-RBI single to right for a 4-1 lead.

Lisa Kossan tacked on a two-RBI single in the sixth inning, and, for good measure, Sami Dullum belted a solo home run in the seventh to make way for the 7-4 win.

In the circle, Stephi Dullum threw four innings of three-run ball off nine hits. Stella Dolan pitched the final three innings and allowed one run on three hits to pick up the save.

The BSU bats had a more difficult time staying active in game two, however. The game was scoreless through five innings, but Stephi Dullum finally broke through with a sacrifice fly in the sixth for a 1-0 Bemidji State lead.

MSUM (4-8, 6-20 NSIC) answered back to tie in the bottom half of the inning, and after a scoreless seventh, the game entered into extra innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Miah Hartvigsen reached base on a one-out error, made it to third on a fly out and then scored on Ally Helgoe’s walk-off single on two outs.

Kaidron McClafferty pitched all 7 2/3 innings and allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits. Anna Lang earned the win for MSUM, tossing an eight-inning complete game and surrendering the one run on four hits, striking out seven.

The Beavers will continue a 10-game road trip with a noon doubleheader at Winona State on Saturday, April 17.

A home doubleheader against Minot State originally set for Tuesday, April 13, has been postponed due to forecasted snow. The games have been rescheduled to Saturday, May 8.

Bemidji State 7, MSUM 4

BSU 004 002 1 -- 7-7-1

MSUM 012 000 1 -- 4-12-1

WP: St. Dullum (4 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K)

LP: Dahl (CG, 7 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 7 K)

S: Dolan (2)

MSUM 2, Bemidji State 1

BSU 000 001 00 -- 1-4-4

MSUM 000 001 01 -- 2-5-0

WP: Lang (CG, 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)

LP: McClafferty (CG, 7.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)