BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field) -- The Bemidji State University baseball took two-of-three games from Concordia University, St. Paul on Monday afternoon to earn a four-game series split with the Golden Bears. In Game 1, BSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on for a 5-2 win. Game 2 saw BSU score seven runs through the first three innings to take a 9-2 lead eventually earning the victory 10-2 and saw a late inning rally fall short in a 7-6 loss in the nightcap.

Game 1 saw BSU score all five of its runs in the first three innings to take a 5-1 lead. Josh Silvernagel (Jr., SS/RHP, Bismarck, N.D.) led the home half of the first off with a triple to center field and then scored when Colton Smith (So., 3B, Waddell, Ariz.) hit is second homer of the season over the left field wall giving BSU a 2-0 lead.

BSU pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second taking advantage of errors and wild pitching by CU. Alex Messick (So., C, Lakeville, Minn.) reached on an error and then moved to third on a P.J. McIntee (Sr., 2B, Randolph, Minn.) single. A walk to Silvernagel loaded the bases and a wild pitch allowed Messick to score from third and McIntee and Silvernagel to move up a base. The Beavers fourth run of the game was recorded when Ryan Sander (So., INF/RHP, St. James, Minn.) grounded into a double-play allowing McIntee to score giving the Beavers a 4-0 advantage.

A RBI single in the third by CU’s Brenden Furrow eliminated the shutout as the Golden Bears closed the Beavers lead to 4-1. Sophomore Nick Jelacie (So., OF, Brainerd, Minn.) led off the third with a single and then stole second and advanced to third on a errant throw. Anthony Turk (Sr., OF, Little Falls, Minn.) was hit by a pitch to give the Beavers runners at the corners with one out. Messick drove in Jelacie as he reached on a fielders choice giving BSU a 5-1 lead.

CU added a run in the fourth with a RBI single by Troy DuBay, but that is as close as the Golden Bears would get as the Beavers took the opener 5-2.

Matt Fossen (So., RHP, Bemidji, Minn.) worked just an inning as he had to leave the game after taking a line drive off the leg. Sophomore Bryan Jamieson (So., RHP, Maplewood, Minn.) replaced Fossen on the mound working 5.0 innings allowing six hits, two runs (one earned) with a walk and a strikeout for his first win of the season and of his career. Justin Huether (Sr., OF/RHP, Brainerd, Minn.) picked up his second save of the season with one inning of scoreless baseball.

Chris Kimpton took the loss for CU seeing his record fall to 4-5. He pitched six innings giving up five runs (three earned) off five hits with three strikeouts and five hit batters.

Five different Beavers recorded a hit in the game with Smith picking up two of BSU’s three RBI.

Bemidji State was in control of Game 2 from the start, building a 9-2 lead after three innings. Jake Schmidt led the game off with a homer to right field giving CU its first lead of the day at 1-0.

CU’s lead didn’t last long as BSU scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead. Paul Newman (Sr., 1B, Durhamville, N.Y.) hit a RBI single and Ryan Bohannan (Sr., OF/RHP, Goodyear, Ariz.) followed with a RBI double giving BSU the one run lead.

The Golden Bears were sent down in order in the top of the second, and BSU plated two more runs in the second to push its lead to 4-1. Messick reached on a infield single and the Beavers started to play small ball as back-to-back-to-back bunts by McIntee, Silvernagel, and Smith enabled Messick to score on a RBI bunt single by Smith. The Beavers second run of the inning came off the second error of the inning by CU pitcher Aaron Pfalzgraff allowing Jelacie to reach first and McIntee to come into score.

The Golden Bears added a run in the third off a RBI double by Jake Schmidt, but BSU blew the game open in the third with a two out five run inning. Messick smacked a RBI double to right center field, Silvernagel hit a RBI single to left, Smith drove in two runs with a single to left and Jelacie doubled home a run helping BSU push its lead to 9-2.

The Beavers added a run in the fourth with RBI single from Turk and BSU cruised from there earning a 10-2 victory.

Ryan Sander (So., INF/RHP, St. James, Minn.) worked a complete game gem improving his record to 2-4 on the season. He gave up two runs (two earned) scattering six hits with one strikeout.

Pfalzgraff took the loss seeing his record fall to 5-2. He worked just 2.2 innings allowing 11 hits, nine runs (eight earned) with a walk and a strikeout. Kirk Ingram and Steven King worked the final 3.1 innings for CU as Ingram pitched just 1/3 of an inning. King gave up one run (one earned) off five hits with a strikeout in three innings of relief.

All nine BSU batters picked up at least one hit. Silvernagel and Newman both had three hit games while Smith drove in a team-high three runs.

In the night cap CU jumped out to a 7-1 lead through five innings and a late inning rally by BSU came up short as the Beavers dropped a 7-6 decision.

Back-to-back walks with two outs in the first gave CU runners at first and second. A two RBI double by Zane Froehlich put the Golden Bears up 2-0 after a half inning of play. BSU cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second as Huether reached second on a error by CU left fielder Logan Bouts. Huether moved to third when Turk reached on the Golden Bears second error of the inning and scored off a RBI single by Messick cutting CU’s lead to 2-1.

CU pushed its lead to 7-1 with five unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Three RBI singles by DuBay, Zach Strouts, and Jon Stockton produced the Golden Bears three runs in the fourth. A two run bomb in the fifth by Adam Bertrand gave CU a 7-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.

BSU fought back with a five run sixth. Jelacie and Newman singled and Bohannan was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Ryan Johnson (So., OF, Bemidji, Minn.) drew a RBI pinch hit walk and Dan Bennett (Jr., C, Hayfield, Minn.) followed with a RBI pinch hit single bringing BSU to within 7-3. McIntee then drew a bases loaded RBI walk and Silvernagel hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring the Beavers to within 7-5. The rally continued with a RBI double by Smith closing the gap to 7-6 with the tying and go ahead runs at second and third. Kirk Ingram got Jelacie to ground out to third to end the inning.

In the seventh BSU loaded the bases with one out but Ingram buckled down striking out Bennett and getting McIntee to hit into a fielder’s choice to hold onto the 7-6 win.

Bryan Buhr (Sr., RHP, Fazee, Minn.) took the loss for the Beavers falling to 0-2 on the season. He pitched 3.1 innings allowing five runs (five earned) with two walks and two strike outs.

Nick Anderson improved his record to 6-2 on the season working 5.1 innings allowing six hits, five runs (five earned) with two strike outs and two walks. Ingram picked up his five save of the season in 1.2 innings of work allowing just two hits with a strikeout and a walk.

BSU moved its all-time record to 15-21 in the all-time series with the Golden Bears. It is the first time BSU has beat the Golden Bears in back-to-back games since Apr. 14, 2001 and the wins snapped a six game slide to CU.

Bemidji State saw its season mark move to 15-33 overall, 8-21 in NSIC play, while Concordia University, St. Paul moved to 32-15 and 13-12 in the league. Bemidji State is back in action on Wednesday, April 29 when the Beavers welcome the University of Mary to the BSU Baseball Field for its final home series of the 2009 season. BSU will be celebrating senior day, recognizing its 10 seniors. First pitch is slated for 2 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--