BISMARCK, N.D. (Municipal Ballpark) -- Bemidji State senior Paul Newman (Durhamville, N.Y.) went 4-for-7 at the plate with a home run, a double, six RBI and two runs scored to help the Beavers to a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) double-header split with University of Mary Marauders in Bismarck, N.D. The Marauders plated five runs in the first inning of Game 1 then held of a BSU rally before holding on for a 10-6 victory, and BSU was in control from start to finish in a 13-8 victory to garner the split.

The Marauders capitalized on a BSU fielding error in the first to score five runs to take a 5-0 lead. Andy Leer reached first on a error by third baseman Ryan Sander (So., INF/RHP, St. James, Minn.) and then stole second with one out. A walk followed by a hit batter loaded the bases for the University of Mary. Casey Gray put U-Mary up 2-0 with 2 RBI single followed by a three-run bomb by Brennan Quintus giving the Marauders a 5-0 lead after one inning of play.

Bemidji State took advantage of a U-Mary fielding error in the second to close the Marauders lead to two, 5-3. Colton Smith (So., 3B/RHP, Waddell, Ariz.) reached on a throwing error by the Marauders shortstop. BSU loaded the bases with no outs with a single by Nick Jelacie (So., OF, Brainerd, Minn.) and a walk by Newman. All three runners advanced on a wild pitch putting BSU on the board. Josh Silvernagel (Jr., SS/RHP, Bismarck, N.D.) delivered a 2 RBI double with two outs to bring the Beavers back to within 5-3.

UM erased BSU’s three run inning with one of their own in the second. Leer drove in a run with a RBI sacrifice fly and then Tyler Liffrig smashed a one out 2 RBI home run to put U-Mary back ahead by five, 8-3. BSU put together a two run inning in the third with a one out 2 RBI double by Newman bring BSU back to within 8-5 through two and a half innings of play.

The Marauders pushed its lead back to five in the fourth inning as they continued to use the long ball. Leer sent a one out 2 RBI homer over the fence pushing UM’s lead to 10-5. Both teams were held scoreless through the fifth and sixth innings and BSU knocked in one run in the seventh but it was to little to late as the Beavers fell 10-6 in Game 1.

Kevin Morel (Sr., RHP, Shoreview, Minn.) gave up all 10 Mary runs (nine earned) off six hits with two strikeouts and a walk through 3.1 innings of work seeing his record fall to 0-6 on the season. Bryan Buhr (Sr., RHP, Frazee, Minn.) worked just a third of an inning giving up a hit and a walk while Smith had his best outing of the season pitching 2.1 innings with two strikeouts.

Matt Leer started and pitched three innings giving up seven hits allowing five runs (two earned) with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. Blaze Culliton picked up his first win of the season pitching 4.0 innings giving up one run (one earned) off three hits with two strikeouts.

Silvernagel went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Jelacie was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

In Game 2, BSU scored seven runs in the fourth to blow open a two run game, and rode a strong pitching performance from Silvernagel to pick up a 13-8 win in Game 2 and garner a split in the double-header.

Silvernagel pitched five innings picking up his sixth win of the season. He scattered six hits and allowed five runs (five earned) with two strikeouts and four walks. Justin Huether (Sr., OF/RHP, Brainerd, Minn.) and Bryan Jamieson (So., RHP, Maplewood, Minn.) each worked a inning of relief. Huether allowed three runs (three earned) off five hits while Jamieson gave up a hit and struck out three Marauder batters.

BSU lead Game 2 off with three consecutive singles by Ryan Johnson (So., OF, Bemidji, Minn.), Smith, and Sander to load the bases. Newman and Jelacie picked up the RBI’s to put BSU up 2-0. The Beavers pushed its lead to 4-0 in the third as Huether led the inning off with a single and then scored when Newman hit his second home run of the season giving BSU the four run lead.

The Marauders got on the board in the home half of the third with a couple runs. A RBI sacrifice fly by Liffrig and a balk with a runner on third allowed U-Mary to close the BSU lead to 4-2, but a seven run fourth by BSU blew the game open.

BSU loaded the bases with no outs and Sander delivered a RBI single to the outfield to start the scoring for the Beavers. Huether drove in a pair of runs with the bases loaded and Jelacie cleared them with a three run homer giving BSU a 10-2 lead chasing UM starter Ryan Schnell. Tim Long struck out the first batter he faced but Anthony Turk (Sr., OF, Little Falls, Minn.) homered to left field for his first home run of the season giving the Beavers a commanding 11-2 lead.

U-Mary shaved the BSU lead to 11-8 with three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Andy Leer hit a 2 RBI homer with a Gray RBI double in the fifth bring U-Mary to within 11-5. In the sixth Huether replaced Silvernagel on the mound for BSU and was welcomed with five hits allowing three runs. Marice Burrough, Leer, and Liffrig all picked up RBI’s in the inning giving UM some hope as they pulled to within 11-8.

A pair of RBI singles by Huether and Newman in the seventh put the game out of reach as BSU held on for a 13-8 win to earn a split in the double-dip with the Marauders.

Smith, Huether, and Newman all picked up three hits in a game in which the Beavers pounded out a season-high 19 hits. Newman and Jelacie each had 4 RBI while Johnson and Smith scored three runs apiece in the contest. In total, seven BSU hitters had multiple hits in the contest.

Jeremy Campbell took the loss for UM, allowing four runs (four earned) on eight hits and two strikeouts in two innings of work. Tim Long worked 1.1 innings of relief and allowed six runs (six earned) on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Schnell pitched the final 3.2 innings giving up three runs (three earned) off five hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Huether extended his hitting streak to six games in the twinbill, while Smith ran his hitting streak to five consecutive games.

BSU saw its record move to 13-30 overall and 6-19 in the NSIC with the twinbill split, while University of Mary moved to 8-26 and 5-9 in conference play. The Beavers are back in action on Thursday, April 23 when they travel to Jamestown, N.D. for a non-conference nine inning contest with the Jimmies. Game time is set for 3 p.m. from Jack Brown Stadium.

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

--beavers--