ROCHESTER, Minn. – The 2023 season for the Bemidji State University Softball team ended on the second day of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament against Concordia University-St. Paul 3-11 in five innings in Rochester, Minn., Thursday afternoon. The Beavers made it to the second day of the tournament after defeating Minnesota State University, Mankato 9-4 on day one.
 
The Beavers reached the NSIC Tournament for the first time since the 2017 season after beating University of Sioux Falls on the final day of the regular season. BSU ends its season with a record of 24-27 overall and 12-14 in the NSIC and the most wins since 2019 (24-30). In her second season coaching Bemidji State Jordan Petersen more than doubled her win total from her first season.
 
Kyla Damerow entered the game not allowing a run in 29 consecutive innings but a home run from Alexus Houston ended the streak and put the Golden Bears on top in the first inning. Molly Houts tied the game up in the third inning with a double. CSP responded in the bottom of the inning with four more runs to reclaim the lead. The Beavers started to chip away at the deficit with two runs in the fifth inning from a two-RBI double from Eliana Christiansen. The Golden Bears then piled on six runs in the fifth to end the game 11-3 by run-rule. 
 
Houts recorded three of the Beavers eight hits on the day and went 8-for-12 in the tournament. Alexa Christenson reached base twice with a double and a single. Also tallying hits were Christiansen with a double and Mariah Stevenson and Kora Martin with singles. Emmarie Yeager reached base drawing the only BSU walk.
 
Damerow (13-13) started the game for the Beavers and pitched until the third inning and then came back to pitch in the fifth inning. In her 2.2 innings of work, she struck out one batter and gave up eight hits and five earned runs. Damerow did not issue a walk in the whole tournament. Stella Dolan entered the game and pitched 2.0 innings where she struck out one batter, walked one, and gave up seven hits and six earned runs. Bryanna Olson (18-16) pitched 4.1 innings for the Golden Bears and struck out two batters, walked one and gave up seven hits and three earned runs. Erica McCullough finished the game for CSP getting the final two outs for the Golden Bears.
 
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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