West St. Paul, Minn. - The Northern State University Softball team began their season in a double header match up with Bemidji State University and University of Minnesota, Duluth.

The first game of the season went to the Wolves as they defeated the Beavers with a score of 3-1. NSU stands at 1-0 on the season, while BSU falls to 0-1. Wolves ace Kami Smesmo tallied a single game school record, breaking the previous record set by NSU Graduate Assistant Coach Breanna Milnes with 14 in 2009, of 15 strikeouts in seven innings of play, only allowing three hits.

The bottom of the fourth was the inning of runs for the Wolves. Lindsey Hubler would get hit by a pitch, followed after by Macey Engel with a walk. Just before a Jordin Novak double, Kalie Madien was entered to pinch run for Hubler scoring on the hit. Senior Caitlin Moran added a double and two RBI bringing in Engel and Novak, putting the Wolves up by three.

The Beavers quickly answered in the top of the fifth with a solo homerun by Mikayla Osterman. Senior Kelsey Robling went 3-3 in the game, all being singles to center field. However the NSU lead would hold for two more innings and the win. 

Coming off their first win of the season, NSU fell to Minnesota Duluth, 0-9, in five innings, with a score of  in the second game of the day. UMD improved to 3-4 on the season while, NSU fell to a 1-1 start.

The Bulldogs came out how scoring seven in the first two innings off a three run homerun and grand slam from Jordan Rice. Kierra Jeffers would added the third homerun of the game for the Bulldogs in the fourth inning. 

Freshman Debbie Evans appeared in her first career start, striking out one in 2.2 innings. Robling continued to be hot from the plate going 2-2, accounting for two of the teams three hits. Sophmore Eryn Yancy would round out the total with a single in the fourth.

NSU is back in action from the dome tomorrow taking on Minnesota State University Moorhead at 10 a.m. and Minnesota Duluth following at 12 p.m..