BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team (17-30 overall, 12-16 NSIC) earned a split against the Bemidji State Beavers (22-23, 11-12) losing 1-0 in nine innings before a 3-1 triumph on Saturday afternoon at the BSU Softball Field.
Neither team could find success offensively in game one, as they combined for eight hits through eight innings, while only one baserunner reached second base.
Following a leadoff double and a flyout in the bottom of the ninth, the Beavers broke through with a single up the middle to take game one.
Shelby Bloemendaal (3-8) was dealt a tough-luck loss, going 8 1/3 innings and allowing just the one run on seven hits while striking out five.
Riley Kramolisch,
Molly Bull, and Aby Boxrud mustered the three Mustang hits in game one.
The Mustangs turned it around in game two, threatening in the second inning following a leadoff two-base error off the bat of
Jillian Noel. The next two Mustangs were sent down, but not before Noel was able to get to third base.
With two outs,
Paige Ahrendt came through, singling up to middle to drive in Noel and take a 1-0 lead.
The game looked to take a turn in the bottom of the fourth, as a HBP, sac bunt, and a pair of singles loaded the bases with one out for the Beavers. On a 2-0 count,
Karlie Miller was able to get inside and force weak contact in the air to Bloemendaal at first, who made the catch and threw it to third to double off the runner and hold the Beavers scoreless.
Makenna Waldow put the SMSU back in business with a leadoff single to open the fifth. After advancing to second on a sac bunt and staying put on a flyout,
Abby Russell sent a slow roller to the right side. She was able to beat out a flip from the second baseman, a sequence that allowed Waldow to come around from second and double the Mustang lead at 2-0.
The Beavers were able to cut the lead in half with a run in the sixth, but a Noel sac fly brought Kramolisch in from third and gave SMSU an insurance run to lead 3-1.
BSU brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with two outs after a pair of singles, but Miller topped the game off with a strikeout to secure the win.
Miller (7-11) allowed an unearned run on seven hits and one walk while striking out a pair to lock down the split.
The bats were able to scatter nine hits in game two, with Ahrendt going 3-3 and Kramolisch going 2-3 to lead the way.
The Mustangs close the regular season on Sunday, taking on Minnesota Crookston for a doubleheader starting at noon.
