SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Ronken Field) - Bemidji State baseball dropped all three games of a triple-header at Augustana, including one-run setbacks in the second and third games, losing yesterday by scores of 3-1, 5-4 and 4-3. The teams were scheduled to play a four-game weekend series with a pair of double-headers, but weather wiped out the scheduled Friday contests.

In Game 1, Augustana scored first when designated hitter Kevin Erickson led off with a walk, stole second and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Sam Everson.

BSU evened the score in the third with a single unearned run. With one out, Michael Nordyke (Ukiah, Calif.) singled and stole second, then scored when John Grindeland (Moorhead, Minn.) reached on a fielder’s choice.

The lone run would be all BSU would muster. Augie starter Troy Wunderlich threw 4.2 innings and scattered five hits, allowing only Nordyke’s unearned run in the third. Tom DeBoer came on in relief and held BSU to just one hit with two strikeouts and a walk in two and a third innings of work. DeBoer earned the win and improved to 1-0 on the year.

Augustana plated two runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Jeremy Schultz doubled to lead off the inning and Gary Walz followed with a single. Mike Loberg drove home Schultz with a sacrifice fly to put Augustana ahead for good, 2-1, and Everson singled to left to score Walz for an insurance run.

Eddie Johnson started and took the loss for BSU. He allowed three runs (three earned) on three hits with five strikeouts and four walks in four and a third innings pitched. Nate Heim threw an inning and a third in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two, and Dave Zothman recorded the game’s final out.

In Game 2, Bemidji State grabbed a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third, led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth, but needed a seventh-inning RBI fielder’s choice from Tony Klaers (Elk River, Minn.) to help force extra innings.

Bryan Martinka (Bemidji, Minn.) led off the eighth with a single to left, but BSU was unable to drive him home.

Brandon Rolloff led off the bottom of the eighth with a single for Augustana, and later came around to score on a two-out RBI single from Jeremy Schultz. It was the fourth RBI of the afternoon for Schultz, who finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate.

Matt Asche and Matt Middendorf led off the top of the third with back-to-back doubles, and both would score to put BSU ahead 2-0. After Augustana pulled within a run on an RBI single from Schultz in the home half of the third, BSU again went ahead by two on a solo home run by Mike Wagner in the top of the fourth.

Augustana scored two in the last of the fifth to draw even, and grabbed a 4-3 lead when Schultz drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.

Michael Nordyke scored on Klaers’ RBI fielder’s choice in the top of the seventh to even the score, and pinch runner Matt Suby was thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the seventh for Augustana to force extra innings.

Augustana scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning in Game 3, then grabbed an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth and held on for a 4-3 win.

BSU generated just two hits in Game 3, a fifth-inning single by Middendorf and a sixth-inning double by Jared Podraza (Carter Lake, Iowa). Middendorf would later score on an Eric Pilgrim groundout to pull BSU within a run at 4-3. Podraza’s double would push Matt Pesta (Long Prairie, Minn.), who reached on an error, to third base to give BSU runners at second and third with two out in the sixth. Tim Voigt (Cold Springs, Minn.) struck out to end the rally, and BSU went one-two-three in the seventh as Augustana held on for the win.

Bryant Salamone threw 3.2 innings for BSU and took the loss. He allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He also hit four batters. Josh Langlie and Lee Pingel threw in relief for BSU. Bryce Ahrendt threw six innings in relief for Augustana to earn the win.

The three-game sweep drops Bemidji State’s record to 0-15 to open the 2005 season and extends the team’s losing streak to 16 games dating back to its 2004 season finale. Augustana improved to 10-5. Bemidji State is scheduled to make its 2005 home debut after 15 consecutive road games to open the season when it travels to Concordia-St. Paul, April 2-3. The series will also mark BSU’s Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener.

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