ABERDEEN, S.D. - The Wolves' softball team had to take a game from Bemidji State (6-21, 4-14 NSIC) today to extend their 2008 campaign, but two games were decided by as many runs went in favor of BSU.  Strong pitching and defense kept the scores low, as the Wolves fell 2-1 and 1-0 (9 innings) to the Beavers, who will advance to the NSIC Tournament as the no. 8 seed.  The Wolves finish the year 5-35 overall and 3-15 in league play.

NSU VS. BSU GAME 1 BOX SCORE

The Wolves had their chances to take the lead late in both games, but they stranded runners on the bags and left the door open for Bemidji State, who was the home team in the rescheduled meeting.  Northern went into the final inning of the first game down 2-0.  They put two runners on base with a walk and a single.  Northern's first run scored off of a Breanna Milnes single to center field and the bases were loaded up following another walk.  Paine, the tosser for BSU, got out of danger by sending down the next two NSU batters on swinging strikeouts.  The Beavers took the game 2-1.

NSU VS. BSU GAME 2 BOX SCORE

Northern was in a must-win situation in the second game, their season on the line as the Wolves and Beavers had identical NSIC records and were fighting for the eighth seed in the NSIC Tournament.  The Wolves controlled much of the game as Milnes allowed only one BSU runner through seven innings.  Northern had at least one runner in scoring position in three of the first seven innings, but they could not get hits in the right places to drive in a run and unknot the 0-0 score.

The scoreless game went into an eighth inning with the Wolves given the first opportunity to attack.  They rallied on two outs, loading the bases up with a Lindsey Cegla double, a Christi Schulte single and a walk from Milnes.  Brianna Conrad came to the plate in a pinch hitting appearance and was fanned by pitcher Lund, putting the total number of NSU stranded runners at five for the seventh and eighth innings.

The Beavers got their lead-off batter on base in the bottom of the inning after being hit by a pitch.  This was just the second baserunner for BSU in the entire game.  The runner advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch.  With two outs, it seemed the Wolves would escape the threat and get another chance at the game as a routine ground ball was hit toward third base.  As fate would have it, however, a game that had been clean of errors was decided by a low throw that could not be scooped at first base and BSU's runner crossed the plate for the game-winning run.

Milnes went 3-for-5 in the series with NSU's only RBI of the day.  She pitched the entire second game, giving up only one hit and striking out five.  The Wolves out-hit the Beavers 7-1 in the deciding game, but it was BSU's run that mattered.

Playing in her final games as a Wolf was lone senior Christi Schulte.  Schulte notched three strikeouts and gave up only four hits in the last pitching performance of her career.  She DH'd in game two and went 2-for-4 at the plate.