BEMIDJ, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field) - Bemidji State’s Anthony Stoloski (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) helped the Beavers garner a split with the Upper Iowa University Peacocks this afternoon at the BSU Baseball Field with his walk-off homerun in the bottom of the eight inning of Game 1 to lift BSU to a 7-5 victory, the Beavers first win ever over the Peacocks. Game 2 saw the Peacocks comeback from a three run deficit in the top half of the seventh inning, scoring five runs, to secure a 11-10 victory and salvage a split with the Beavers.

Game 1 saw Upper Iowa jump out to a 5-0 lead before BSU would get on the board. In the first inning of play Mitch Walser hit an RBI double to give the Peacocks an early 1-0 lead. Upper Iowa pushed its lead to 5-0, scoring four runs in the third inning. Back-to-back-to-back singles by Dan Berg, Nick Fjelland, and Jamie Terras pushed the Peacocks first run across with Terras picking up the RBI. Fjelland eventually scored on a error by Bemidji State pitcher Kevin Morel (Shoreview, Minn.). Lucas Wilsing platted the final two runs in the inning for the Peacocks on two out RBI double to left field.

The Beavers got on the board in the bottom of the third inning to bring the score to 5-1 in favor of the Peacocks. Rich Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.) started the inning with a double and then he advanced to third on Stoloski’s single to left field. Bohannan scored when Josh Juntunen (Elk River, Minn.) hit into a double play pushing Bohannan across home plate.

After giving up five runs starting pitcher Kevin Morel (Shoreview, Minn.) settled down and retired the next twelve Peacock batters. Mike Wagner (Plymouth, N.H.) brought the Beavers a little bit closer with a two out homerun in the fourth inning to close the Peacocks lead to just three runs. The homerun was Wagner’s second homerun of the season.

The Beavers continued its comeback in the fifth inning scoring three runs to tie the game at 5-5. Stoloski hit a two run homerun to bring the Beavers within 5-4 and the Wagner struck again coming up with a two out single to push Eric Pilgrim (Park Rapids, Minn.) across the plate to tie the contest at 5-5. BSU tried to end the game in the bottom of the seventh inning but was unable to push the winning run across as the Beavers left the bases loaded for the second time in the game.

In the top half of the eight Bemidji State relief pitcher Karl Willers (Slayton, Minn.) shut down the Peacock offense to give Bemidji State a chance to win in the eight. Rich Bohannan (Goodyear, Minn.) hit a one out single to bring Anthony Stoloski to the plate who homered in his previous at bat. Upper Iowa pitcher Brian Putnam grooved a fast ball down the center of the plate and Stoloski took advantage hitting his second homerun of the game over the left field wall to give BSU a 7-5 come from behind win, the Beavers first ever win over Upper Iowa.

Morel pitched seven solid innings for the Beavers giving up five runs (five earned) on 10 hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Willers made the lone relief appearance picking up his second win of the season in one inning of work.

Kevin Epperheimer started for the Peacocks surrendering five runs (four earned) on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks. Putnam picked up the loss in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Putnam gave up two runs (two earned) with one strikeout and one walk in the loss dropping his record to 2-2 on the season.
Stoloski and Wagner were the batting led the Beavers at the plate. Stoloski went 3-for-5 with two homeruns, four RBI and two runs scored, while Wagner was 3-for-4 with one homerun, two RBI and one run scored.

In Game 2 was a game full of errors with eight combined errors being made between the two teams. It was Upper Iowa’s turn to play the comeback role as the Peacocks took advantage of three Bemidji State errors in the seventh inning to score five runs and steal a 11-10 comeback victory to salvage a split in the twinbill.

Upper Iowa jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on an RBI by Erik Sorensen and Ronnie Kurihara. Bemidji State took advantage of three Peacock errors in the second inning to score five runs and take a 5-2 lead. Eric Pilgrim (Park Rapids, Minn.) started the inning with a single for the Beavers and eventually scored on a single by Tony Samuelson (Pine City, Minn.). Ryan Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.) and Samuelson scored on Wagner’s single to left. Bohannan scored on a fielding error by Peacock center fielder Dan Berg and Wagner advanced to second. Josh Silvernagel (Bismarck, N.D.) drove in the fourth run of the inning on a single to right field. Silvernagel eventually scored Bemidji State’s fifth run of the inning on a error by Peacock left fielder T.J. Johnson to give the Beavers a 5-2 lead.

The Peacocks cut the Beaver lead to one run in the third on Nate Mendoza’s two run homerun. Bemidji State scored two runs of its own in the third to push its lead back to three runs. Samuelson scored on a wild pitch and Ryan Bohannan scored on a sacrifice fly by Brian Simon (Owatonna, Minn.). Upper Iowa added one run in the fourth and the fifth inning to cut the deficit to one run at 7-6 in favor of the Beavers.
In the fifth inning the Beavers answered the Peacocks as they pushed two runs across to increase its lead to 9-6. Ryan Bohannan doubled to right center field and scored on a single by Wagner. Wagner then scored on a single by Silvernagel for the Bemidji State runs in the fifth inning.

In the seventh inning it was the Peacocks turn to take advantage of some errors. Upper Iowa scored five runs off of three Bemidji State errors to take a 11-9 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Bemidji State cut the lead to one run on a homerun by Simon, his second homerun of the season, but that was not enough as the Peacocks were able to hold on to a 11-10 win.

Chad Schwegel (St. Joseph, Minn.) pitched four innings giving up five runs (five earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts. Tony Meech (Menahga, Minn.), Josh Langlie (Thief River Falls, Minn.) and Karl Willers (Slayton, Minn.) each pitched an inning of relief. Meech gave up one run (one earned) on two hits, Langlie gave up no runs on no hits with one walk and Willers gave up five runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk. Willers picked up the loss, dropping his record to 2-4 on the season.

Andy Seabrooke got the start for the Peacocks giving up nine runs (eight earned) on eleven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Clint Krysa made the lone relief appearance going 2 1/3 innings allowing one run on one hit with three strikeouts. Krysa got the win, improving his record to 1-0 on the season.
Ryan Bohannan and Mike Wagner led the Beavers at the plate picking up three hits apiece. Bohannan went 3-for-4 scoring three runs and Wagner went 3-for-3 scoring one run and picking up one RBI.

Bemidji State (6-29; 4-12 NSIC) will be back in action this weekend as the Beavers will host the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs on Saturday and Sunday. The first pitch for Saturday’s double-header is slated for 1:00 p.m. and Sunday’s first game is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start.

--beavers--