WEST ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team swept Bemidji State, 6-5 and 5-4 in a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday in West St. Paul, Minn. It is the first 2-0 start for the Dragons since the 2012 season.
MSUM is 2-0 while Bemidji State fell to 2-6.
"I'm definitely proud of how we came out and played our game today," MSUM head coach Amanda Reckamp said. "We had a gameplan heading into this one where we were going to play our game and focus on our strengths. We executed it at a high level, kept them on their heels both games, and saw timely performances when we needed them. Our pitchers came out ready and performed within their roles and it was a great showing for what is to come with this staff."
In the opener junior shortstop Kaiya Sundeen was 3-for-4 with a run scored while junior second baseman Samantha Gjerde was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Junior right fielder Jordey Smith had two RBI while senior center fielder Elizabeth Johnson had a hit and an RBI.
Sophomore first baseman Jade Hollands, junior left fielder Shay Weber and junior Abby Helgoe added hits for the Dragons.
Junior Anna Lang picked up the win for MSUM, going six innings and allowing five earned runs. Freshman Reece Dahl, in her first collegiate action on the mound, picked up the save with a scoreless seventh inning.
Bemidji State's undoing was errors, as the Beavers committed four in the game, leading to three unearned Dragon runs. MSUM scored three times in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. Bemidji State cut the lead to 6-5 on a homer to lead off the seventh. Dahl relieved Lang and allowed a single to lead off the inning, but got the next batter to ground into a double play and then got another groundout to preserve the win and earn the save.
In Game 2, Gjerde was 1-for-2 with three RBI. Smith was 2-for-3 with a run scored while Johnson was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Senior third baseman Emma Dummer was 1-for-2 with a run scored while Hollands had a hit.
Dahl picked up the win. She started the game and pitched the opening five innings; she reentered in relief in the seventh and got out of a bases-loaded jam to help the Dragons hold on for the win.
"We saw different hitters step up in different parts of the line-up in both games which is great to see the first day out," Reckamp said. "We will head into the weekend with a few things to tweak but a lot of confidence in what kind of team we are shaping up to be."
MSUM will compete at the Emporia State (Kan.) tournament starting on Friday in Emporia, Kan.
