BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University Softball starts its season Friday and Saturday at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament in St. Cloud, Minn. The Beavers are set to open the season against Concordia University, St. Paul at 10 a.m. Friday followed by St. Cloud State University at 2 p.m. The following day the Beavers meet Southwest Minnesota State University at 10 a.m. and SCSU again at 2 p.m.
 
BSU has struggled against CSP in recent years, currently sitting at a five-game losing streak. The last Beaver win came from a sweep at home on Apr. 17, 2023 where game one finished with the Beavers up 10-6 and game two saw extra innings with a BSU 11-10 win in the ninth inning. Overall BSU is 13-49 against CSP since 1984.
 
The Beavers and Huskies met a total of four times last season, twice during the same tournament and twice again during the regular season. BSU and SCSU split their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games with BSU taking the first in eight innings by a score of 8-4. The second match up didn't fall in the Beavers' favor as the Huskies took a 9-1 win in five innings. 
 
Since the hiring of Head Coach Jordan Petersen ahead of the 2022 season, the Beavers have posted a 6-4 record over the Mustangs with two wins coming in preseason play. Most recently, BSU and SMSU split a series in Marshall, Minn. with the Mustangs grabbing game one 5-1 and the Beavers coming back to dominate game two by a score of 8-4.  A run home from, now sophomore, Calleigh Richards in the third inning gave the Beavers the deciding point, even with giving up four runs in the fourth. 
 
The Beavers finished last season at 21-31 overall with an 8-20 conference lineup. BSU ended the season in 13^th-place in the conference, ahead of Northern State University and University of Mary and just behind University of Minnesota Crookston and University of Sioux Falls. 
 
This season, BSU starts at the Kelly Laas before heading to Rosemont, Ill. Feb. 19-21 for the Lewis University Dome Invitational. They'll then take part in the Top Gun Midwest College Classic in Shawnee, Kan. Feb. 27-Mar. 1 before finishing the preseason at the Space Coast Spring Games in Melbourne, Fla. Mar. 6-11. NSIC action starts up Mar. 21 with the Beavers set to host Augustana University.  
 
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).