BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field) - The Bemidji State University baseball team saw its
season-long five-game winning streak come to an end today
as the University of Minnesota Duluth and the Beavers collided
in their first contest as non-conference opponents in nearly
30 years. In their first season as members of the North Central
Conference, the Bulldogs swept the double-dip using timely
hitting and the long ball to down BSU 17-6 in game one and
21-5 in the nightcap.
In game 1, UMD lit its side of the scoreboard first by plating
a pair of runs in its first at bats. Brian Bataglia led off
with a walk and would advance to third on a back-to-back past
balls. The center fielder Greg Aker followed a Tim Garceau
walk with an RBI single to right, advancing Garceau to third.
Garceau scored on a throwing error by the BSU right fielder
on the play.
BSU responded in the bottom of the first scoring three runs
to take the early lead.
Matt Middendorf (Sauk Centre, Minn.) and Tony Klaers (Elk
River, Minn.) kick-started the rally ripping consecutive singles
to right field. Middendorf scored the first BSU run when Jared
Podraza (Carter Lake, Iowa) singled to left. Bryan Martinka
(Bemidji, Minn.) plated the Beavers' second run belting a
single to right field. After advancing to third on the Martinka
single, Podraza scored to give BSU the 3-2 lead as Matt Asche
(Durango, Iowa) reached on a hit to the right field gap collecting
his 18th RBI of 2005.
The Beavers increased their lead to 4-2 in the second, making
UMD pay for a fielding miscue. With one out, Middendorf reached
on a error by the UMD second baseman. After Klaers walked,
John Grindeland (Moorhead, Minn.) found a hole in right field
to load the bases. Middendorf would score on a sacrifice fly
by Podraza before the Beavers' half of the inning came to
an end.
Down two runs (4-2), the Bulldogs virtually put the game
out of reach in the top of the third scoring seven runs on
four hits including three RBI doubles.
The Bulldog pitcher, Justin Hayes, settled down as the game
moved on sitting BSU down in order in the third and fourth
innings before allowing the Beavers to score one run in the
fifth. He gave up just five runs (four earned) in five innings
of work and was credited with his second victory of the season.
Freddie Hampe collected the final six outs for UMD allowing
an earned run while recording a strikeout.
Dan Wagner (Campton, N.H.) took the loss for BSU. He allowed
six runs (five earned) on three hits with a strikeout and
five walks in two innings of work. Josh Langlie (Thief River
Falls, Minn.) allowed seven runs (five earned) in three innings
of relief while Marcus Bromenshenkel (Sauk Centre, Minn.)
and Dave Zothman (LaPorte, Minn.) each gave up a pair of runs
tossing an inning apiece.
Nate Cermak led the Bulldogs going 2-for-4 with a double,
a home run and four runs batted in.
Podraza paced the Beavers collecting two hits in three at
bats while plating two BSU runs.
Minnesota Duluth shot out of the gates to begin game 2, using
a pair of home runs to put BSU in a 5-0 hole after the top
half of the first. Shawn Lindsay punished BSU for walking
Bataglia and hitting Luke Johnson with a pitch by putting
a Nate Heim (Kelliher, Minn.) fastball off the scoreboard
in left-center field. An Andrew Heieie sacrifice fly to right
field put UMD up 4-0 and Cermak homered for the second time
in the double-header before the inning was compete to give
the Bulldogs a five-run cushion.
After sitting BSU down in order in the home half of the first,
Minnesota Duluth used 12 hits and a pair of BSU fielding errors
to plate 13 runs in the second and take a commanding 18-0
lead after one and a half.
BSU would get a run back in the second and would add two
in each of the third and fourth innings, but UMD added a pair
in the fourth and another in the fifth before the game was
called.
BSU's Heim was credited with the loss working just one inning
allowing six hits and 10 UMD runs.
In one third of an inning of relief, Scott Sand (Sauk Rpids,
Minn.) gave up seven runs (three earned) walking three and
allowing five hits. Lee Pingel (Ashland, Wis.) pitched 1.2
innings holding the Bulldogs to just one run before Tony Meech
(Sebeka, Minn.) collected BSU's final six outs of the game
allowing a pair of hits and three runs (one earned).
John Leitch was on the hill for UMD. He worked three and
one third innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits
while walking four and recording four strikeouts for his first
win of the season.
Lindsey went 3-for-5 and collected four RBIs to lead UMD.
Andy Eagan (Woodbury, Minn.) collected his first hit of season
knocking in a team-high three RBI in the nightcap.
The UMD sweep drops Bemidji State's record to 9-32. Minnesota
Duluth improved to 17-19.
The Beavers wrap up the remainder of their home slate with
a four-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference series
versus Northern State University. First pitch of the Saturday
double-dip is set for 1:30 p.m. while Sunday's twinbill begins
at 12:00 p.m. at the BSU Baseball Field.
--bsu--
