WAYNE, Neb. – The Bemidji State University softball team wrapped up its first NSIC crossover with two losses to Southwest Minnesota State University and Upper Iowa University.

Both games were played at Pete Chapman Complex, home of Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. The first game was a 9-4 loss to the Mustangs, and then the Beavers fell 7-0 to the Peacocks.

Bemidji State got out to a hot start against SMSU (19-6, 4-0 NSIC), jumping out to a 3-0 lead after two innings. The Mustangs responded with two runs in the bottom of the third, and collected three in each of the next two innings to come-from-behind and capture the 9-4 win. Kasey Callison (Jr., Eagle River, Alaska) picked up two runs batted in and scored one run while going 2-of-4 at the dish. Katie Prettyman (Jr., International Falls, Minn.) also collected two hits, giving BSU the first two-player multiple-hit performance of the crossover.

Allison Willard (Jr., Hutchinson, Minn.) pitched the first four innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits and four walks. Jamie Lund (Fr., Grantsburn, Wisc.) came on in relief duty and finished the final two innings, allowing two runs and five hits.

The matchup with Upper Iowa (7-17, 4-1 NSIC) wasn’t as close, as the Peacocks got ahead 6-0 after three and never looked back. BSU again got multiple hits from two players, with Prettyman and Mara Johnson (Jr., Bemidji, Minn.) each collecting two. Kristen Paine (Sr., Chisholm, Minn.) pitched the first three innings and allowed six runs, two earned, off the strength of seven hits. Lund again came on in relief duty and finished the game by only allowing one run on four hits.

Bemidji State (1-9, 0-5 NSIC) will step out of conference play April 8, as the team will travel to Duluth, Minn., to take on the University of Minnesota Duluth in a two-game tilt.

--bsu--