MANKATO, Minn. (Diamond @ Gage Towers) - The Bemidji State University softball team was unable to take a game away from No. 24 Minnesota State University in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday afternoon, falling by scores of 12-2 and 4-0.

Bemidji State (8-16, 3-9 NSIC) took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first of Game One, but multiple runs in all four innings for the Mavericks (27-7, 8-2 NSIC) was too much for the Beavers to handle. BSU was outhit 11-7 in the contest.

The Beavers went through three pitchers, starting with Courtney Anderson (Fr., P, Virginia, Minn.). She lasted just 1.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits to move to 4-9 on the year. Jamie Lund (So., P, Grantsburn, Wisc.) tossed 2.1 innings, allowing six hits and seven runs (three earned). Jordan Anderson (Fr., P, Sartell, Minn.) came in to record the final out.

Kendra Huettl improved to 15-1 on the season after scattering seven hits across all 5.0 innings. She gave up two runs and struck out four.

Mara Johnson (Sr., 2B, Bemidji, Minn.) and Karissa Hendrickson (So., 3B/2B, Big Lake, Minn.) both went 2-for-3 from the plate, with Johnson recording her school-record tying seventh home run of the season. Hendrickson also crossed home plate once. Courtney Loegering (Fr., OF, Spring Lake Park, Minn.), Brittany Bolstad (Jr., OF, International Falls, Minn.) and Jamie Ford (Jr., OF, Edina, Minn.) also notched hits.

Kelsey Thompson went 3-for-3 for MSU, driving home five runs and scoring twice. Abby Morris was 2-for-3 with two runs.

In the second game of the series, four runs by the Mavericks through six innings with no response from BSU was enough to take down the Beavers again. Minnesota State only outhit Bemidji State 7-6, but the runs were hard to come by for the road team.

Alison Willard (Sr., P, Hutchinson, Minn.) pitched a complete game, giving up four runs (three earned) and seven hits.

Brooke McKelvogue improved to 12-5 on the year after pitching all 7.0 innings. She struck out eight and only walked one in the shutout.

Lund went 2-for-2 from the plate, and Bolstad went 2-for-3 to lead the Beavers. Kasey Callison (Sr., 1B, Eagle River, Alaska) and Hendrickson also collected hits in the loss.

Katie Reed went 0-for-2 for Minnesota State, but she scored two of the four runs. Natalie Spicer led MSU with her 2-for-3 performance, driving home two runs.

Bemidji State will now play a doubleheader against the University of Minnesota, Crookston Apr. 15 in Crookston, Minn., beginning at 3:00 p.m.

--bsu--