Softball opens 2022 season in St. Cloud

The Bemidji State University softball team begins its 2022 campaign this weekend by traveling to St. Cloud, Minn., to participate in the Kelly Laas Softball Tournament held at the Husky Dome. The Beavers will play five games at the tournament beginning Friday, Feb. 11 with games against St. Cloud State University and Northwestern College.

The Beavers will then face Northwestern again on Saturday followed by a game against University of Sioux Falls. BSU then concludes play Sunday with a single game against Southwest Minnesota State University.

Bemidji State was picked to finish 12th in the 2022 Preseason NSIC Coaches’ Poll.

Seniors Elaina Christiansen and Kaidron McClafferty were tabbed as the Beavers’ Preseason Players to Watch.

Bemidji State head coach Jordan Petersen begins her first year of head coaching duties after spending the last four season as an assistant at MSU-Moorhead and Northern State.

Bemidji State returns 13 letter-winners from the 2021 season where the Beavers went 11-31 and finished 13th in the NCIC with a 7-21 league record.

The Beavers have added seven newcomers to the 2022 roster for a total of 20 student-athletes.

Junior Emmarie Yeager returns to the team after leading the Beavers with a .286 batting average and totaled a .417 slugging percentage and .326 on-base percentage.

Bemidji State returns three of its four members of its pitching staff from last season in Kyla Damerow, Stella Dolan and Kaidron McClafferty.

Damerow leads the returners with 63 innings pitched last season while McClafferty follows with 51 innings pitched and Dolan with 50.1 innings.

Bemidji State’s 2022 roster carries eight upperclassmen and 12 underclassmen. The Beavers will have four seniors in Christiansen, Alison Schak, Kora Martin and McClafferty.