Softball | 3/1/2021 4:52:00 PM
Live Stats (BSU Game 1)
Live Stats (BSU Game 2)
MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team opens play for the 2021 season on Tuesday vs. Bemidji State. The games will be played at the West St. Paul Dome in West St. Paul, Minn. The games are at noon and 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
It is the season-opening doubleheader for MSUM while Bemidji State is 2-4 on the season, all non conference games. The Dragons will then play six games at the Emporia State tournament this weekend, facing Illinois-Springfield (twice), Emporia State, Washburn, Missouri-St. Louis and Southwest Baptist.
MSUM returns a solid nucleus from last year's team that finished 4-10 in the COVID-19 shortened season, led by seniors Emma Dummer and Elizabeth Johnson.
Dummer, a third baseman, hit .295 last year with four doubles and six RBI. She has started 146 games as a Dragon and has 28 doubles, 10 home runs and 57 RBI. She is tied for fifth all-time at MSUM with 28 doubles.
Johnson, an outfielder, has started all three years of her Dragon career. She has started 112 games as a Dragon.
Junior catcher Jordie McNeilly returns after leading the Dragons in batting average (.390), home runs (three) and RBI (nine) in the shortened 2021 season. Junior outfielder Jordey Smith also returns after hitting .343 with two doubles and three RBI.
Junior infielders Samantha Gjerde and Kaiya Sundeen and junior Shay Weber also are returning starters for the Dragons. Junior Ally Helgoe has also seen time in the infield.
Junior Anna Lang is the team's top returning pitcher. She was 3-3 with a 2.88 ERA in 34 innings a year ago. She pitched the first complete game shutout of her career last season as well vs. Nyack College.
Lang will be joined on the mound by sophomores Kiley Washnieski and Ashtyn Jurging and freshman Reece Dahl. Jurging is a transfer from Allen Community College.
Sophomore Jade Hollands (first base), freshman Miah Hartvigsen (infield) and freshman Jessie Undem (catcher) are newcomers looking to contribute in their first years as Dragons.
Amanda Reckamp is entering her third season as MSUM head coach.
The Opponents
Bemidji State
Bemidji State is 2-4. Lisa Kossan leads the Beavers with a .400 average along with five RBI. On the mound Stephi Dullum is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 9.1 innings. Brittany Gomez-Olson is in her third season as the BSU head coach.
Emporia Tournament
Illinois-Springfield
Illinois-Springfield is 1-8 on the season and has lost six games in a row. Ashley Klinzing is hitting .433 with two RBI for UIS while Danielle Dennis is hitting .429 with two homers and seven RBI. Reagan Miles is 0-4 with a 4.20 ERA on the mound. Shannon Guthrie is in her eighth season as the UIS head coach.
Emporia State
Emporia State is 5-1 on the season. The Hornets opened the season at the Washburn tournament and beat NSIC schools Wayne State (14-13), UMary (5-4) and Minnesota Crookston (18-6). Roni Raines is hitting .600 with six RBI for Emporia while Cassidy Beem is hitting .500 with two homers and five RBI. On the mound Josie Harrison is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in 11.1 innings. April Rosales is in her sixth year as the Emporia head coach.
Washburn
Washburn is 7-2 on the season, winning all five games at its home tournament last weekend. That included wins over NSIC foes UMary (4-3) and Sioux Falls (7-6). Marrit Mead is hitting .484 with four RBI for Washburn while Brianna Fuchs is hitting .400. On the mound Raegen Hamm is 5-1 with a 1.96 ERA in 35.1 innings. Brenda Holaday is in her fifth season as the Washburn head coach.
Missouri-St. Louis
Missouri-St. Louis is 3-3 after six games at the Washburn tournament. Morgan Barnoski is hitting .412 with three doubles and five RBI. On the mound Mimi Bradley is 2-0 with a 1.14 ERA. Amanda Scott is in her fifth season as the UMSL head coach.
Southwest Baptist
Southwest Baptist is 0-4 on the season after dropping all four games at the Drury Invitational. Alissa Collette is hitting .375 to lead the offense. Hallie Henderson is 0-2 with a 1.86 ERA. Chad Kerr is in his first season as the Southwest Baptist head coach.
