FAYETTE, Iowa (Robertson Woods Field) -- Bemidji State split a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball doubleheader with the Upper Iowa Peacocks this afternoon, seeing a seventh-inning comeback attempt fall short in a 3-2 loss in the opener and using strong starting pitching to capture a 3-1 win in the nightcap.

BSU took an early lead in game one when the Beavers strung together back-to-back singles by Nick Jelacie (Fr., Brainerd, Minn.) and Josh Silvernagel (Jr., Bismarck, N.D.) scoring Mike Wagner (Jr., Plymouth, N.H.) who reached first on a walk to give BSU a 1-0 lead. The RBI was Silvernagel’s second RBI of the season.

Upper Iowa grabbed its first lead of the day in the home half of the third inning when Lucas Wilsing hit a two-run homer, scoring Brock Spangenberg who reached on a two out single to give the Peacocks a 2-1 lead. It was Wilsing’s second home run of the season.

The Peacocks pushed its lead to two runs, 3-1, in the fourth inning. Brock Spangenberg doubled to left field and then scored on a two out RBI single to center field by Kreston Albright to give Upper Iowa the two run lead. Bemidji State cut the UIU lead in half in the sixth inning when Justin Huether (Jr., Brainerd, Minn.) knocked in his ninth RBI of the season scoring Wagner from second to close the Peacocks lead to 3-2 heading into the final inning.

The Beavers tried to generate a comeback in their last at bats in the bottom of the seventh inning as they had runners on first and second with two outs, but the Peacocks closer Brian Putnam shut the door on BSU picking up his first save of the season.

Along with his two-run homer in the third inning Wilsing also pitched a gem on the mound for the Peacocks improving his record to 1-3 on the season. Wilsing pitched six innings allowing two runs (two earned) off nine hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.

Josh Juntunen (Jr., Elk River, Minn.) went five innings for the Beavers surrendering his third loss of the season (2-3). He gave up three runs (three earned) off eight hits with one strikeout and four walks. Randy Amos (Jr., Wilmington, N.C.) pitched one inning of relief giving up just two hits.

Huether led the Beavers at the plate as he went 2-for-4 with one RBI.

Kevin Morel (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) scattered four hits in six innings of work on the mound, firing Bemidji State to a 3-1 victory over the Peacocks in the finale of the doubleheader. Morel allowed just one run (one earned) striking out three batters with three walks in the win. He gave up one hit in the third and sixth inning and allowed his only run on a RBI double to left field by Brock Spangenberg in the fourth.

Morel’s six inning gem helped him garner his first win of the season improving his record to 1-2 on the season.

The Bemidji State offense was finally able to break through on Peacocks starting pitcher Andy Seabrooke in the fifth. Seabrooke was in total control as he only allowed two hits through the first four innings, but the Beavers pounded out two runs off three hits in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Colton Smith (Fr., Waddell, Ariz.) led the inning off with a single to start the rally. J.J. Swalbowski (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.) recorded an infield single to put runners on first and second with one out. The runners moved up a base on a passed ball which proved to be costly. Huether answered again for the Beavers as he smashed a two RBI single to left field to put BSU up 2-1.

Rich Bohannan (Sr., Goodyear, Ariz.) recorded a RBI sacrifice fly scoring Anthony Turk (Sr., Little Falls, Minn.) who reached base by getting hit by a pitch and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Swalbowski and then reached third on a fielding error by UIU’s third baseman to give BSU a two run cushion, 3-1.

Ryan Bohannan (Jr., Goodyear, Ariz.) earned his first save of the season as he forced three fly ball outs in his one inning of work to help BSU salvage a split with Upper Iowa.

Peacock starter Andy Seabrooke was lifted after the sixth inning. He allowed two runs (two earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Gavin Mason pitched the final inning of relief allowing one run (none earned).

BSU was led offensively by Huether who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Swalbowski also went 2-for-2 at the plate in the win.

With the split the Beavers are now 2-9 all-time versus the Peacocks and are 2-5 since Upper Iowa moved to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

The split moved Bemidji State to 6-13-1 overall and 4-4 in the NSIC. Upper Iowa move to 7-17 overall, 5-5 in the NSIC. The Beavers are scheduled to open the home portion of its schedule this weekend, Apr. 5-6, when they host Winona State University from the BSU Baseball Field. Saturday’s game is slated for 1 p.m. with Sunday’s doubleheader scheduled for noon.

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

--beavers--