ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Bemidji State University baseball team had to work for every run and every out in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference split at Concordia University, St. Paul Monday. The Beavers fell 12-9 in game one, before rebounding for a 4-3 game two win in which BSU needed two runs in the seventh to earn the victory. The win marks the first at CU since March 24, 2007.

The Beavers (16-31, 7-23 NSIC) jumped on CU starter Andy Fagely in the first inning of game one, scoring four runs and batting through the order. Junior Dan Bauer (MIF/RHP, Bemidji, Minn.) got the scoring started for the Beavers, hitting his sixth homerun of the season over the left field 24-foot chain link fence. The bomb scored two as BSU lead-off batter freshman Chad Hanson (OF, St. Paul, Minn.) drew a five-pitch walk. Junior infielder Colton Smith (Waddel, Ari.) kept things going with a hit to centerfield and then stole second. He moved to third on a senior Joe Chism (OF, Great Bend, Kan.) groundout to short. A single through the left side by junior Nick Jelacie (Brainerd, Minn.) plated Smith and BSU was up 3-0. The Beavers called a hit-and-run on the first pitch of junior Ryan Sander’s (1B, St. James, Minn.) at bat, which proved worthwhile as Sander grounded out to the shortstop on what would have been an inning-ending double play. Freshman Matt Ellinhuysen (3B/C, Saint Charles, Minn.) then poked a 0-2 count to center field, scoring Jelacie from second. Freshman middle infielder Lewis Bauman (Colorado Spring, Colo.) reached first on an error by Golden Bear (22-24, 14-11 NSIC) third baseman Hogan Jackson, but it didn’t hurt the home team as senior Dan Bennett (C, Hayfield, Minn.) struckout swinging.

One inning later, BSU was down 9-4 as CU posted a nine-run inning and bounced BSU starter freshman Nick Monson (RHP, West St. Paul, Minn.) from the game. With one out, the Golden Bears loaded the bases for their nine-hitter who singled to center, then an error by BSU centerfielder Jelacie advanced all the runners up a base, scoring two. Lead-off hitter Bryan Lippincott then smashed the first offering from Monson over the right field fence to give CU a 5-4 lead. The Golden Bears were able to keep the buffet line moving and produced four more runs to take five-run advantage after two innings, batting 13 ball players.

The game settled down after the second, as CU starter Andy Fagely settled in and BSU reliever Bryan Jamieson (RHP, Maplewood, Minn.) came in and quieted the Golden Bear bats. Jelacie hit a solo shot for his team-leading eighth homerun of the season in the fifth. Hanson came around to score in the seventh after a lead-off walk to make the score 9-6. But, CU added to its lead with a three-spot, all with two outs, in the bottom of the seventh taking a 12-6 advantage. The Beavers got the three back in the eighth, starting with a double by Sander that got lost in the sun by leftfielder Blake DeVries. With two outs, Bennett guided Sander home with a bloop single to right. Hanson then came up and recorded the first triple of his young career, scoring Bennett from first. Bauer plated Hanson with a single through the left side, making the score 12-9. Unfortunately for BSU, it couldn’t muster a comeback in the ninth and suffered the loss.

Jamieson allowed three earned runs in his 6.1 innings, off six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Bauer went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Jelacie, Ellinhuysen and Bennett each recorded two-hit games, as Jelacie added two RBI and two runs.

BSU again scored first in game two, the fourth time in the series, recording a run in the second. Sander doubled down the right field line with one out, then Ellinhuysen drove him across home plate with a single down the right field line. The Beavers added a run in the third, starting the inning with the top of the order. Hanson led-off the frame with a single and was moved to second by a sacrifice by Bauer. The next batter was Smith who laid down a great bunt back to the pitcher, earning the infield hit. CU pitcher Nick Anderson tried to get Smith at first, but threw the ball away and he moved to second, while Hanson came around to score.

The Golden Bears tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third and the score remained tied until BSU scored twice in the top of the seventh with two outs. BSU went down 1-2, but Hanson kept the inning alive with a hit to left. Bauer then recorded a hit off the third baseman’s glove that trickled into shallow left center field moving Hanson to third on a close relay from the left fielder and Bauer to second on a close play from third to second. A clutch single by Smith that jumped up on CU shortstop Lippincott and went into shallow centerfield, scored both Hanson and Bauer for a 4-2 lead by the road team. Chism followed with a single up the middle, then on Jelacie’s at bat both runners moved up a wild pitch. Jelacie ended-up striking out looking on a pitch he thought was outside.

Junior righty Doug Peterson (Bemidji, Minn.) started for the Beavers and was handed the ball in the seventh to complete his solid outing. With one out, Lippincott, the lead-off batter, drove a 3-1 offering over the right center field fence, just a few parking spots from his three-run bomb in game one. Peterson then settled down and got the next two batters, earning his first win of the season.

Peterson went the distance for BSU for the first time this season, improving to 1-2. He allowed the three runs, all earned, on seven hits, walking just one batter. Hanson recorded his first three-hit game of his career, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Smith was 3-for-4 with the two game-winning RBI.

BSU hosts Jamestown College in a nonconference doubleheader Tuesday, closing its 2010 home schedule.   

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