CLERMONT, Fla. – Bemidji State University Softball split its fourth and fifth days at The Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. Monday and Tuesday. The team is now 6-4 at this tournament and 11-9 overall heading into the final stretch of four games in Florida.
After weather delays Monday morning, the Beavers began play late that evening with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch against Point Park University. This start didn't hinder the Beavers as they would go on to mark the program's single-game high for runs scored with their 18-1 victory. Headlining this win were freshmen
Calleigh Richards and
Jenna Burd, each grabbing a home run early in the game with Richards' sending runners home with packed bases. Burd,
Avery Amidon and
Molly Houts each had two RBIs with Richards marking five. Houts also set the program record for most HBPs in a career at 26.
The following game was a bit tougher on the Green & White as the first pitch wasn't thrown out until 10:30 p.m. and lasted until 12:30 a.m. The Beavers fell to Northwood University, 2-1, in seven innings. NU grabbed an early lead with a run in the first, then extended it to two with another in the fifth. BSU prevented a bigger gap with a run of its own in the fifth off a double from
Jackie Larsen, batting in
Aimee Christenson.
On day five, the Beavers started out by leading Bentley University, 4-0 after six innings. The Falcons were able to bounce back in dramatic fashion, grabbing eight of their own in the seventh. The top four batters in BSU's lineup each grabbed a run with
Calleigh Richards,
Aubrey Aukerman and
Alayna DeGraef each marking RBIs.
BSU finished out this section of games with a 13-8 win over Lake Erie College Tuesday afternoon. Coming out of the gates strong, the Beavers grabbed five runs at the top of the first inning and did not relinquish their lead once, moving to 11-9 overall and 6-4 at the Spring Games.
Jackie Larsen led the scoring with three runs while
Calleigh Richards,
Molly Houts and
Jenna Burd each added two.
Maddie Kielsmeier and
Aimee Christenson were responsible for the most runners batted in at three each.
Taking the day off on Wednesday, the Beavers return to play the last four of the tournament Thursday and Friday. They will take on Queens College and the University of Indianapolis Thursday morning and Emporia State University and Saint Martin's University Friday before flying home Saturday morning. Once they get home, the Beavers are scheduled to start Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play by hosting Concordia University, St. Paul on Mar. 22.
Games are available on the Fastpitch TV Network and via live statistics on the BSU Beavers website.
For more information on the Bemidji State Softball program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversSB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like 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 and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
