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DICKINSON, N.D. - The Carroll College Softball team battled back time and time again on Thursday morning, but ultimately came up one run short in a 9-8 loss to fourth-seeded Bismarck State in the opening round of the 2026 Frontier Conference Championship at Bravera Field on the campus of Dickinson State.

The fifth-seeded Fighting Saints (18-19) played catch-up for nearly the entirety of Thursday's first-ever Frontier Conference Tournament game, and while they managed to make it a game over-and-over, the Mystics would hold on for a tight one-run victory, sending Carroll to the loser's bracket.

A 1-2-3 top half of the first for Carroll turned into a three-run bottom half of the frame for the Mystics, and Carroll was forced into comeback mode. Bismarck State put up three runs on three hits in the inning, including a two-run homer from Brielle Wrangham following a lead-off walk.

No strangers to working from behind, the Saints went to work in the second. Carlee Smith (Blackfoot, Idaho / JR) knocked a two-RBI double, and then two batters later scored on a double-steal following a single from Demi Lagourgue (Windsor, Calif. / FR) to knot things up at 3-3.

A pair of critical errors in the home half second inning would pave the way for the Mystics to regain their lead and then some. A dropped ball at first on the leadoff hitter, followed by a dropped fly-ball in straightaway center helped Bismarck State quickly replace their three-run advantage. Jordyn Marcroux came up with an RBI single late in the frame, and BSC jumped back out to a 7-3 advantage.

Sammie Labrum (Kalispell, Mont. / SR) opened the third with a single. Brooke Thompson (Billings, Mont. / JR) reached on an error behind her, and then another Mystic error in right field would bring both home and allow Ella Seaman to scamper all the way to third. Smith came away with her third RBI of the morning on a single late in the frame, but a costly base-running mistake would put an end to the rally for the Saints.

Bismarck State stretched the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the fourth following a leadoff homer to make things 8-6, and tacked-on one more run in the sixth on an RBI double, but Carroll wouldn't quit.

Down to their final three outs, the Fighting Saints - known for their late-game heroics this season - made things interesting. Madison Walker (Ridgefield, Wash. / JR) started the inning with a single, and then Labrum got on base behind her on the third Mystic error of the game. Brooke Thompson, who has led the Saints offensively all season long, brought both home with a two-RBI single, bringing Carroll within one run with the tying-run on first. Carroll would be unable to cash in on the quick start to the frame, however, as a 6-4-3 double play and groundout would end the game and send them into to loser's bracket.

Kathryn Emmert (Helena, Mont. / SO) was pinned with the loss, going 2.0 innings with five earned on four hits and three walks, striking out five. McKinley Ermshar (Battleground, Wash. / SO) came on in relief, going 4.0 innings with just two earned on three hits.

Carlee Smith led the effort at the plate for the Saints, going 2-3 with three RBI and one run, while Brooke Thompson went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Following top-seeded Dickinson State's win over Dakota State, Carroll now knows their loser-out opponent for tomorrow. The Saints will take on Dakota State in an elimination game at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.