ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (11-22, 5-5 NSIC) used a huge offensive outburst to claim a doubleheader sweep over Bemidji State (12-14, 3-7 NSIC) in their home opener. The Golden Bears took a wild game one 13-12 with a go-ahead Navarae Honoroff grand slam and claimed game two 12-6.
 
The Golden Bears slugged their way to 25 runs with 31 hits in the two games as all nine CU starters collected a hit on the day. Nicole Thompson and Haley Schanks led the way with six hits apiece while Navarie Honoroff drove in a team-high eight runs.
 
Concordia-St. Paul 13, Bemidji State 12
Despite driving a season-high 18 hits in the game, the win was far from in hand for the Golden Bears until a late rally put them on top.
 
The Beavers held a six-run lead heading into the fifth but saw it disappear as the Golden Bears hung two in the fifth and six in the sixth on BSU to take the lead for good.
 
Jamie Fleischhacker and Navarae Honoroff did much of the heavy lifting at the plate in the game as the two combined to drive in 10 of Concordia's 13 runs.
 
After BSU took the lead in the first on a Jessica Yost two-run single, Fleischhacker tied the game with a two-run blast in the bottom of the inning. Pitcher Haley Schanks gave herself a lead as she went back-to-back with Fleischhacker with a homer to center to make it 3-2.
 
Angie Roberts tied the game with an RBI single and Jackie Braiedy gave the Beavers the lead back with a three-run home run to center in the second, but CU once again closed the gap as Teona Zepeda and Nicole Thompson strung together RBI singles to cut the deficit to 6-5 in their half of the inning.
 
The Beavers chased CU starter Haley Schanks in the third as Erin Robson lifted a two-run shot to center and Mikayla Osterman greeted reliever Stephanie Kappes with a two-run homer of her own. Bemidji State added another run on an RBI groundout to make it 11-5 just 15 outs into the game.
 
Honoroff and Fleischhacker took over from there as Honoroff looped a single to left that brought home two runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to 11-7.
 
Fleischhacker pulled Concordia two runs closer with her second two-run homer of the game and her team-leading fourth homer of the year over the left field wall.
 
It was then Honoroff's turn to deliver the big blow as she came up with the bases loaded and two down and deposited a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left to put the Golden Bears on top 13-11. The homer gave Honoroff a career-high six RBI in the game.
 
Bemidji State made it very interesting in the seventh as they used three hits and a walk to pull within one at 13-12 as they loaded the bases with two outs. Courtney O'Connor came to the plate with a chance to put BSU back on top but Kappes coaxed a groundout as Emily Shinn made a nice play to end the game.
 
After giving up three runs immediately after coming in the game, Kappes (7-13) settled in and allowed just one run as she got the win in relief by working the final 5.0 innings of the game.
 
Teona Zepeda was a constant threat at the top of the order as she collected a team-best four hits and swiped a pair of bags in the win. Nicole Thompson and Emily Shinn also got in the act with three hits each as Thompson scored once and drove in a run while Shinn scored twice. Kelly McKenzie also gave BSU trouble as she reached base three times, with a hit and two walks, and also stole two bases while scoring three times.
 
In total, the two teams combined for 25 runs and 36 hits as 12 different players registered multi-hit games.
 
Concordia-St. Paul 12, Bemidji 6
While the second game didn't feature quite as many fireworks as game one, the two teams still mustered a combined 18 runs and 22 hits in the game.
 
The Golden Bears once again found themselves in a deep early hole as they trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the third but they were again able to dig themselves out and collect the sweep.
 
Honoroff picked up right where she left off in game one as she opened the scoring in the second inning as she sent a double over the left fielder's head to bring home a run. Nicole Thompson stepped up later in the inning and laced a single up the middle to put the Golden Bears on top 2-0.
 
After cruising through the first two innings, Linzy Heim ran into trouble in the top of the third as she walked three and gave up five hits in the inning, including a two-run double off the bat of Lexi Ripka and a three-run home run from Jessica Yost, to put  a six-spot on the board for BSU.
 
CU wasted no time getting back in it as they hung four runs on the Beavers to even the score in the bottom of the inning. Shinn delivered a big two-run double to the gap and McKenzie brought home a run with a fielder's choice before Honoroff added another RBI with a groundout.
 
Concordia took the lead in the fourth and steadily added on the rest of the way as they scored in each of their final three innings. Schanks drove in a run with an infield single in the fourth and Koncar drew a walk with the bases loaded in the fourth to put CU back in the lead before Schanks picked up two more RBI singles in the fifth and sixth and two more runs came in on illegal pitches.
 
Freshman Haley Schanks was extremely impressive in the game as she set a new career high with four hits and also drew a walk while scoring twice and driving in three.
 
Thompson delivered her second straight three hit game and ninth multi-hit game in the last 12 as she pushed her season average to .432.
 
It was an overall balanced effort at the plate as all nine starters reached base and eight of the nine either scored or drove in a run.
 
Concordia will look to jump above .500 in NSIC play tomorrow as they host Minnesota Crookston. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.