BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field) -- Bemidji State baseball dropped a pair of one-run contests to the Upper Iowa University Peacocks, losing 2-1 in Game 1 and dropping an 9-8 decision in the nightcap at the BSU Baseball Field. Upper Iowa used a two-run homer by TJ Johnson in the top of the fifth inning to take Game 1 and then scored six runs in the first and second innings of Game 2 to hold on for the sweep.

In Game 1, BSU allowed just one Peacock base runner through the first four innings - a first inning walk to Nick Fjelland. The Beavers also saw just one base runner through the first four innings - a double down the left field line by Josh Juntunen (Jr., Elk River, Minn.). The Peacocks broke up the 0-0 tie in the top half of the fifth. Luke Wilsing led the inning off with a single to center field which was followed by TJ Johnson’s third home run of the season to give UIU a 2-0 lead.

Bemidji State cut the Peacocks lead in half in the home half of the fifth. Juntunen led the inning off with his second hit of the day and advanced to second off a ground out to the first baseman by Rich Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.). With two outs, freshman Nick Jelacie (Fr., Brainerd, Minn.) drove in his 11th RBI of the season with a single to center field to bring BSU to with in one, 2-1.

The Beavers got the leadoff batter on in the bottom of the seventh inning with an infield single off the bat of Anthony Stoloski (Sr., Half Moon Bay, Calif.) but that is as close as they would get to a come back and Upper Iowa would hold on for the 2-1 win.

Ryan Bohannan (Jr., Goodyear, Ariz.) threw his first complete game of the season and took the hard-luck loss. He threw 7.0 innings and allowed just five hits, giving up two runs (both earned). He struck out one and walked one, falling to 2-2 on the year.

Andy Seabrooke went the distance for Upper Iowa, picking up his first win of the season improving to 1-4 on the year. Seabrooke scattered four hits garnering seven strikeouts.

Juntunen pounded out two of the Beavers four hits to lead BSU at the plate.

In Game 2, the Peacocks exploded for six runs through the first two innings and then held on for a 9-8 victory.

Brock Spangenberg drove in a run as he reached on a fielder’s choice and TJ Johnson launched a three run homer over the left field wall to put the Peacocks up 4-0 in the top of the first inning. Johnson’s home run was his second of the day and fourth of the year.

The Peacocks added two more runs in the second pushing their lead to 6-0. Jarrod Esquibal started the inning with a one out single to center field. Esquibal advanced to third on a Nick Fjelland double and then scored on a RBI single by Marcus Thompson. Fjelland advanced to third on Thompson’s single and scored on a wild pitch rounding out the scoring in the inning for UIU.

BSU platted four runs in the bottom of the second to pull within 6-4. Jelacie drove in his second run of the day with a RBI single to right field with Mike Wagner (Sr., Plymouth, N.H.) smashing a three run homer over the wall in left field to provide the scoring punch in the inning. Wagner’s home run was his first of the season.

The Beavers closed the UIU lead to run one in the third with a two out solo home run by Stoloski to bring BSU to within 6-5. The solo shot was Stoloski’s seventh home run of the season.

Upper Iowa platted two runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth to pull ahead 9-5. A two-RBI home run from Seth Fox in the fifth and a RBI double from Fjelland in the sixth increased Upper Iowa’s lead to four heading into the seventh inning.

Bemidji State did not go down easy as the Beavers mounted a rally in their final at-bats. Justin Huether (Jr., Brainerd, Minn.) started the excitement with a one out single. Four consecutive singles by J.J. Swalbowski (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.), Stoloski, Juntunen and Ryan Bohannan kept the inning alive with Stoloski’s hit scoring Huether and Bohannan’s single driving in two runs to bring BSU one run shy of completing the come back.

With the tying run on third and two outs Nick Jelacie stepped to the plate. Jelacie scorched one just foul down the third base line but would end up striking out to end the game.

Kevin Morel (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) allowed six earned runs in just two innings of work seeing his record fall to 2-4 on the season. Randy Amos (Jr., Wilmington, N.C.), and Huether pitched in relief. Amos worked three innings allowing two runs (two earned) off four hits with four strikeouts and two walks, while Huether pitched two innings give up one run (no earned) off one hit.

Brad Mey picked up his first win of the season pitching three innings allowing five runs (five earned) off four hits with three strikeouts while Chris Wlezien garnered his third save of the season working four innings and allowing three runs (three earned) off seven hits with three strikeouts.

Stoloski went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored while Ryan Bohannan was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored for the Beavers.

BSU falls to 2-11 all-time versus the Upper Iowa Peacocks and 2-4 since UIU joined the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) just one year ago.

The sweep drops Bemidji State’s record to 12-19-1 and 10-8 in NSIC play. Upper Iowa improves to 21-23 on the year, 17-7 in NSIC play. Bemidji State is back in action this weekend, April 26-27 in a four-game NSIC series at Southwest Minnesota State. Both double-headers are slated for 12 p.m. starts from Alumni Field in Marshall, Minn.

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

--beavers--