Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team had its three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday losing a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games at Bemidji State by scores of 8-4 and 10-8.
 
SMSU will conclude the regular season on Sunday with a doubleheader at Minnesota Crookston starting at 12 p.m. Despite the two losses today, SMSU still has a chance to qualify for the 10-team NSIC Tournament with a pair of victories on Sunday.
 
BSU (17-25, 6-14 NSIC) jumped to early leads in both games, while collecting a total of 27 hits and held off late SMSU rally attempts to secure the sweep.
 
In the opener, SMSU scored a pair of runs in the first inning on a two-run single by Kali Tomlinson. The Mustangs collected five hits in the inning and had a chance to add more runs, loading the bases with one out, but a pair of strikeouts kept the score at 2-0.
 
BSU countered in the second inning as Jessica Burlingame smacked a two-out grand slam to make the score 4-2. The Beavers added three more runs in the third and another in the sixth to take an 8-2 lead into the seventh.
 
SMSU mounted a rally in the seventh Abbie Decker belted a solo home run before Tomlinson hit a run-scoring double to make the score 8-4, but that was as close as the Mustangs would come.
 
Megan Cull (4-9) started in the circle for SMSU and lasted 5 1/3 innings, while allowing eight runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts.
 
SMSU, which was out-hit 12-11 in the game, was led by Tomlinson, who finished 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Emma Grote, Bailey Johnson and Madison Krog all finished with two hits as well for the Mustangs.
 
In game two, BSU jumped on the board early and often against SMSU starter Athena Golling, scoring four runs in the first and five more in the second to build a 9-1 lead after two.
 
SMSU wouldn't go away and scored seven unanswered runs over the next four innings to cut the deficit to 9-8 in the sixth.
 
Alex Reak started the rally with a solo homer in the third, while Tomlinson later in the frame hit an RBI single to cut the BSU lead to 9-3.
 
In the fourth, Reak belted another solo homer to make the score 9-4, before SMSU added three more in the fifth and had a chance to add more. Reak worked a bases loaded walk to score the first run, while Sara DeSmet smacked a two-run single to make the score 9-7. Grote followed with a single to load the bases, but a ground out ended the threat.
 
SMSU cut the deficit to one-run in the sixth on an RBI single by Mackenzie Clouse.
 
BSU picked up an insurance run in the sixth to make the score 10-8. SMSU had the tying run at the plate in the seventh, but a fly out ended the game.
 
DeSmet helped lead a 13-hit SMSU attack going 4 for 4 with two RBIs, setting a career-high for hits in a game. Reak was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Grote and Krog each finished with two hits.
 
Golling (4-9) suffered the loss tossing the first two innings and allowing 11 hits and nine runs.
 
Shelby Crank, who missed six games earlier this week with an injury, pitched in both games, including four solid innings in game two. She allowed an unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts to help give the Mustangs a chance at the comeback.