BEMIDJ, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field) - The Bemidji State University Beavers and the Northern State Wolves split a double-header contest played at the BSU Baseball Field this afternoon. Northern State scored nine runs in the third and fourth inning combined to take Game 1, 11-4, and Bemidji State made a seventh inning comeback in Game 2 to salvage a split winning 8-7.

In the top half of the first inning the Northern State Wolves started a rally getting the first two batters on base with no body out. The Beavers got out of the jam on a triple play. Rich Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.) started the triple play when he caught a line drive off the bat of Matt Tales, Bohannan then threw to Josh Juntunen (Elk River, Minn.) to get the second out at first and Juntunen threw the ball to shortstop Josh Silvernagel (Bismarck, N.D.) to get the third out at second base.

Bemidji State started the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning when Anthony Stoloski (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) hit a one out triple and then scored on Josh Juntunen’s (Elk River, Minn.) ground out to second base to give the Beavers an early 1-0 lead. Northern State tied the contest up in the second on Tom Keiser’s single to left field.

The Wolves pushed its lead to 6-1 when they put up five runs up in the third inning on seven hits. Justin Downes, Mike Paulsen, Mitch Locke, and Payton McCleary all picked up RBI’s in the inning. The Beavers came back in the bottom of the inning and cut the lead to 6-3 on Josh Juntunen’s two out double to left center field scoring Rich Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.) and Stoloski.

The Wolves then followed up the Beavers two run inning with a four run inning of their own. Tom Keiser hit a two RBI double to left field and Matt Geissler had a two RBI single to plate the Wolves four runs and increase their lead to 10-3.

The Beavers added one more run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by P.J. McIntee (Randolph, Minn.) but that would be all the runs the Beaver offense would be able to produce in Game 1 and the Beavers fell 11-4 at the hands of the Wolves.

Casey Allar (Sartell, Minn.) took the loss for the Beavers, surrendering six runs (four earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts and one walk dropping his record to 0-3 on the season. Bryan Buhr (Frazee, Minn.) and Karl Willers (Slayton, Minn.) pitched in relief; Buhr pitched 1/3 of an inning allowing three runs (three earned) on three hits with two walks, with Willers pitching four innings giving up two runs (two earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts.

Northern State’s Justin Downes went the distance for the Wolves, giving up four runs (four earned) on nine hits and three strikeouts. With the win Downes evened his record at 4-4 on the season.

Anthony Stoloski (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) led the Beavers at the plate going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Josh Juntunen (Elk River, Minn.) went 1-for-4 with three of the Beavers four RBI’s.

Northern State grabbed a 7-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh but saw Bemidji State battle back and score five runs in the home half of the inning to steal a 8-7 victory from the Wolves.

Matt Geissler reached on an error by shortstop Josh Silvernagel (Bismarck, N.D.) and then scored on a homerun to left field by Adam Kampsen to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Mike Paulson led off the second inning with a homerun to left field to push the Wolves lead to 3-0.

The Beavers eventually got on the score board in the third inning when Stoloski hit is second triple of the afternoon on a ground out to the right side of the infield by Tony Samuelson (Pine City, Minn.). The Beavers then cut the lead to one run in the fourth inning when Gary Molck (East Grand Forks, Minn.) hit a triple to right center field and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Silvernagel.

Northern State and Bemidji State each added a run in the fifth inning with Northern State still holding onto a one run lead at 4-3. The Wolves seemed to take command of the game in the seventh inning when they plated three runs in the top of the inning. The Wolves used three hits in the inning to grab a four run lead. Justin Downes, Tom Keiser, and Mike Paulson each had RBI’s in the inning for the Wolves.

Bemidji State made a heroic seventh inning comeback scoring five runs on four hits to steal Game 2, 8-7. Rich Bohannan started things for the Beavers with a single to left field. Tony Samuelson (Pine City, Minn.) then drew a walk and Eric Pilgrim (Park Rapids, Minn.) hit a one out single to left field to load the bases with one out. Brian Simon (Owatonna, Minn.) then reached on an error by the Wolves first baseman picking up an RBI and closing the Wolves lead to three runs. The following batter Ryan Bohannon (Goodyear, Ariz.) roped a double to right center field plating two more runs for the Beavers. With runners on second and third with one out Molck picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Brian Simon from third. The Wolves then intentionally walked Mike Wagner (Plymouth, N.H.) to get to the number nine batter, Josh Silvernagel. Silvernagel made the Wolves pay as he hit a single to center field picking up the winning RBI and helping the Beavers salvage a split in the doubleheader.

Josh Juntunen (Elk River, Minn.) started for the Beavers giving up six runs (four earned) on eight hits with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Tony Meech (Menhaga, Minn.) made a relief appearance pitching 2/3 of an inning giving up one run (one earned) on two hits. Meech picked up the win improving his record to 2-3 on the season.

Brock Pashen pitched five innings for the Wolves allowing three runs (three earned) on five hits with one strikeout. Adam Kampson picked up the loss for the Wolves allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits with two walks, dropping his record to 0-3 on the season.

Eric Pilgrim, Anthony Stoloski, and Ryan Bohannan each picked up two hits a piece to lead the Beavers at the plate.

Bemidji State (5-27; 3-11 NSIC) will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when the North Dakota Fighting Sioux come to town for a double-header at the BSU Baseball Field. The first pitch of the twinbill is set for 2:00 p.m.

--beavers--