BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Softball team's 2024 season came to an end Saturday afternoon at the BSU Softball Field. The Beavers were eliminated from Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference postseason contention the day before and concluded the regular season by falling to Northern State University it a pair of league games.
The Beavers fell 10-3 and 13-4 to the Wolves and end their season with a 13-38 record and finished 13
th in the NSIC standings with a 7-21 league record. Bemidji State honored its 2024 senior class in part of Senior Day in between games against the Wolves as the collegiate careers of
Stephanie Ferguson and
Stella Dolan come to a close.
Bemidji State seemed as if it would earn a game one victory over the Wolves with Dolan holding NSU to just one run through six innings and the Beavers holding onto a 3-1 lead. Northern State broke through with nine runs in the seventh to steal victory from the grasp of the Beavers.
Aimee Christenson, Ferguson and
Mariah Stevenson each drove in one of the three Beavers runs with RBI singles in the third, fourth and fifth innings, respectively.
Aimee Christenson led the Beavers at the plate totaling three of the Beavers nine hits, tying a career high. She went 3-for-4 with three singles and one RBI. Stevenson and Ferguson followed with each collecting two hits while
Alexa Christenson and
Grace Gumiela each added base hits.
Dolan went 6.2 innings earning the loss (10-18) after she allowed six runs (four earned) off 14 hits and struck out five batters. Sophomore
Elle Hastings came in to pitch 0.1 innings in the seventh and allowed four runs (two earned) before Dolan was sent back in the circle.
Game two went in favor of the Wolves early on as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead over the Beavers after the second inning. NSU then added a run in each of the following three innings to extend its lead to 8-1 but capped-off the game with a five-run seventh inning. The Beavers made a run in the bottom the seventh scoring three runs but fell short 13-4.
Senior
Molly Houts went 3-for-4 for three of the Beavers nine hits in the game and also stole a base while
Alexa Christenson and
Aubrey Aukerman each added two hits.
Freshman
Danica Sarff started the game and earned the loss (2-12) pitching 1.2 innings and allowed five runs off four hits and struck out three. Dolan replaced her and pitched 4.2 innings while
Elle Hastings pitched 0.2 innings.
For more information on the Bemidji State softball program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversSB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BemidjiStateSoftball) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversSB).
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey 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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