MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (H.H.H Metrodome) -- The Bemidji State baseball team saw early leads slip away in both games versus the St. Cloud State Huskies at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Thursday evening. In Game 1 the Beavers jumped out to a 2-0 lead but saw the Huskies comeback to earn a 5-3 win in extra innings and in Game 2 the Beavers garnered a 4-0 lead and held on for a 6-6 tie, because of time restrictions at the Metrodome.

Ryan Johnson (Fr., Bemidji, Minn.) recorded three of the Beavers seven hits in Game 1 driving in a run and scoring a run, but the Huskies would put together a three run fourth and a two run eighth to rally for a 5-3 victory.

Bemidji State held a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the fourth inning with the Beavers mounting a two out rally in the bottom of the third. Justin Huether (Jr., Brainerd, Minn.) doubled down the right field line and then scored off a single by Johnson to put BSU up 1-0. Josh Juntunen (Jr., Elk River, Minn.) drove Johnson in off a RBI single up the middle to give BSU a 2-0 lead.

But the Huskies, who were held with out a hit in the first three innings of the contest, broke loose in the visiting half of the fourth and took their first lead of the game with a three-run frame on three hits. One BSU fielding error lead to one unearned run with Nate Hammes and Bruce Thompson picking up RBIs in the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh inning the Beavers tied the contest up to send the game into extra innings. Rich Bohannan (Sr., Goodyear, Ariz.) led the inning off with a double down the left field line and scored the tying run off Nick Jelacie’s (Fr., Brainerd, Minn.) pinch hit RBI double off the left field wall to tie the contest at 3-3 and send the game into the eighth inning.

The Huskies pushed its lead back to two runs in the top of the eighth. Kyle Resser drove in the eventual game winning run with a sacrifice fly to left field and Dan Gaughan drove in a insurance run on a RBI single down the right field line to give SCSU a two run cushion, 5-3, heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Tim Scott came in and shutdown the Beavers in the eighth inning picking up his seventh save of the season for the Huskies. Mitchell Staley earned his first win for SCSU striking out the lone batter he faced.

BSU three four pitchers in the game, with Randy Amos (Wilmington, N.C.) allowing two runs (two earned) on three hits in two innings of work to take the loss, dropping to 0-1 on the season. Juntunen went 5.0 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with three strikeouts, with Bryan Jamieson (Fr., Brainerd, Minn.) pitching 0.1 innings allowing a walk and Colton Smith (Fr., Waddell, Ariz.) worked 0.2 innings allowing one hit.

BSU scored four runs in the first inning of Game 2 to take a early 4-0 lead. Anthony Stoloski (Sr., Half Moon Bay, Calif.) picked up his first hit of the twin bill driving in Huether to put BSU up 1-0. Paul Newman (Jr., Durhamville, N.Y.) drove in the second run of the inning for the Beavers grounding out to second base. Rich Bohannan capped the scoring for the Beavers as he hit a two run homer over the left field wall to give the Beavers a 4-0 lead after a half inning of play. Bohannan’s home run was his second of the season. All BSU runs in the inning were unearned runs.

The Huskies answered in the bottom of the second with their own big inning platting five runs off four hits to take their first lead of Game 2. Hammes reached on a error by BSU right fielder Justin Huether. Hammes would come around to score when Luke Klitzke doubled to left field. Brandon Peyer walked to bring in the second run of the inning for SCSU. Mic Johnson singled to right field driving in two runs to tie the game at 4-4 and then a Kyle Resser bunt drove in Peyer from third on a suicide squeeze play to give SCSU a 5-4 lead. Two of the five SCSU runs were unearned.

Bruce Thompson pushed the Huskies lead to 6-4 with a RBI single to center field in the bottom of the third inning.

BSU would rally in the fifth inning to tie the game. Jelacie drew a one out walk and came around to score off Stoloski’s RBI double to left center field. Colton Smith picked up arguably his biggest hit of his young career when he slapped a two out base hit down the right field line to score Stoloski from third to tie the game at 6-6.

Both teams had chances to take the lead for good in the final two innings but were unable to come up with a game winning run. Due to time restrictions at the Metrodome the game ended after the seventh inning of play resulting in a 6-6 tie.

BSU was led offensively by Stoloski who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Ryan Johnson and Shaun Corbett (Sr., Mora, Minn.) both went 2-for-4.

BSU used three pitchers in the contest. Kevin Morel (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) pitched three innings allowing six runs (four earned) off seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Ryan Bohannan (Jr., Goodyear, Ariz.) and Huether made relief appearances for the Beavers. Bohannan pitched three solid innings allowing just two hits with one strikeout while Huether worked one inning allowing just one hit.

BSU is now 30-99-1 all-time with the Huskies and finished 5-4-1 at the Metrodome this season.

The 6-6 tie is the first tie the Beavers have played to since 1993 when the Beavers played to a 5-5 tie with Lock Haven.

Bemidji State (5-10-1; 3-1 NSIC) is scheduled to be back in action on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30 when the Beavers host Concordia-St. Paul in their home opener. The first pitch of Saturday’s twin bill is slated for 1 p.m. with Sunday’s first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--beavers--