BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Softball team swept its first opponent of the season against Concordia University-St. Paul, 10-6 and then walking it off in the ninth inning 11-10, Monday afternoon at Chet Anderson Stadium in Bemidji, Minn. Fifth-year senior Emmarie Yeager drove in six runs in the doubleheader with two home runs and the game-tying RBI in the ninth.
 
In the first game of the day, the second batter landed CSP on the board early with a home run by Alexus Houston and the Golden Bears added two more runs in the second scoring off an error. The Beavers found a groove in the second inning with the first three of the first four batters reaching base. A walk and two singles leveled the game at three before a bases clearing double from Molly Houts gave BSU its first lead of the game at 6-3. Concordia-St. Paul took no time to shorten the lead with a two-run bast from Grace Beseman to bring the game to 5-6. The bottom of that inning Morgan Benedict hit her first collegiate homerun on the first pitch of the at bat. Yeager gave BSU some more breathing room with a three-run shot over the fence to go up 10-5. In the final inning CSP tacked on one more run to end the game 10-6.
 
Everyone in the starting lineup for the Beavers reached base with Aimee Christenson and Houts all having multiple hit game. Aimee had two singles and Houts singled and doubled. Also recording extra base hits were Benedict and Yeager with home runs and Ashley Herold with a double. BSU drew four walks from Herold, Elaina Christiansen, Benedict and Kora Martin.  
 
Kyla Damerow (6-10) pitched another complete game to earn her sixth win of the season. Damerow struck out three batters, did not walk any batters and gave up 11 hits, six runs and four earned runs. Bryanna Olson (11-12) started the game for the Golden Bears lasting 1.1 innings, striking out three batters, walking three, giving up four hits and six earned runs. Kristi Pilz entered the game in the second inning to complete the game with one walk, six hits and four earned runs given up.
 
The Beavers continued their hot streak into game two with two runs driven in by Herold and Yeager. Houts cleared the bases again in game two with a triple to score two more runs in the second inning with BSU tacking on one more run from an error. The top of three CSP launched another ball out of play for a two-run home run. Yeager followed with her second home run of the day that landed in the bleachers of Chet Anderson Stadium. Aimee Christenson double in the same inning to bring one more runner home in the third to extend the Bemidji State lead to 7-2. Houts brought in her seventh run of the day with a double in the fifth for an 8-4 lead. The Golden Bears scored two runs in four innings send the game to extra innings. CSP scored another two runs in the ninth to take its first lead of the game. The Beavers responded in the ninth with three runs to walk it off when Christiansen singled up the left field line with the bases loaded.
 
Bemidji State had its second-best outing of the season at the plate with 13 hits and 11 runs scored. Aimee Christenson, Houts and Christiansen recorded three hits in the extra inning victory with Christiansen hitting all singles, Aimee Christenson with two singles and a double and Houts hit her third triple of the season to go along with two singles. Yeager also had a multiple hit game with her second home run of the day and a single in the ninth to fill the bases. The Beavers recorded the most walks in a game this season with nine and Herold drew two. Aimee Christenson stole a base in the fifth inning.
 
Stella Dolan started the game for BSU going 5.2 innings, striking out six batters, walking two and giving up eight hits and six earned runs. Damerow (7-10) entered the game in the sixth inning with two outs and only need one pitch to end the inning. Damerow finished the game pitching the final 3.1 innings for BSU allowing seven hits and four earned runs while not walking a batter all day. Erica McCullough started the game for CSP lasting three innings before Olson (11-13) entered the game. Olson struck out four batters, walked six and gave up six hits and four earned runs.
 
The Beavers wrap up their homestand tomorrow (Tuesday) at Chet Anderson Stadium against University of Mary with the doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State Softball program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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