ST. PAUL, Minn. (Barnes Field) -- Sophomore John Perkins helped Bemidji State University baseball make a late rally in game two that fell short during a doubleheader sweep to Concordia University-St. Paul. The Beavers (3-19, 2-15 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) fell 7-3 in game one before taking a 13-9 loss to the Golden Bears (11-14, 7-12 NSIC) in game two at Barnes Field in St. Paul, Minn.

Game One – L, 7-3
The Golden Bears opened the game with a lead-off home run before Beavers starting pitcher Logan Barrick settled in to strike out two and get out of the top of the first inning. Barrick followed to retire the CSP side in order in the top of the second inning to set up the BSU bats in the bottom half. After the first two Beavers batters reached base on a hit by pitch and a walk, a sacrifice bunt moved the runners over and set up a sacrifice fly by senior Isaiah Grancorvitz to tie the game, 1-1.

Barrick continued to keep the Golden Bears in check with help from the Beavers defense with a double play to end the third inning. He retired the CSP side in order to start the fourth inning before BSU took its first lead in the bottom half. Juniors Sam Kalberer and Parker Borg led off with a single and double which set up a two-RBI double down the left field line by sophomore John Perkins, which put BSU ahead 3-1.

CSP began its comeback with another lead-off home run to start the fifth inning before tying the game, 3-3, in the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles to lead off and a score on a wild pitch. BSU reached two runners in the bottom of the sixth inning, although one was caught stealing to leave one stranded to move into the bottom of the seventh.

In the seventh inning, Grancorvitz led off with a four-pitch walk and was moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt. He was stranded after a strikeout and ground out sent the game to extra innings. The Golden Bears again led off by reaching base in the eighth inning as the first four batters reached to grab a lead. A two-RBI single up the middle put CSP ahead, 5-3, before extending the lead on another two-RBI single. BSU had one batter reach base on a CSP error, which was stranded at first.

Four Beavers recorded hits on the day, while Perkins led with two RBI and Borg scored two runs. Barrick went 5.2 innings with a career-high seven strikeouts and three earned runs allowed on seven hits and one walk. Junior pitcher Kenny Morris (1-2) took the loss after allowing four earned runs on five hits with one walk in 2.0 innings.

Game Two – L, 13-9
The Beavers took the first lead of game two in the bottom of the second inning as a lead-off hit by pitch and a single set up a the go-ahead score on a double play. The Golden Bears came back in the top of the third inning to score six runs on a grand slam and two wild pitches for a 6-1 lead. Following four runs on six hits by CSP in the top of the fourth inning, two base hits set up BSU's second run of the day scored on a wild pitch to trail, 10-2.

Both teams scored three runs between the fifth and sixth innings to set up a 13-5 deficit for the Beavers heading into the final frame. Sophomore pitcher Christian Turner entered to pitch for BSU in the seventh and stranded the bases loaded for CSP to move into the bottom half of the inning. Senior Noah Boser led off with a single followed by a double by Borg to set up a sac fly by Kalberer to bring BSU to within seven runs. Two batters later with runners on first and second base, Perkins knocked out his first career home run to right field to decrease the deficit to four, 13-9. The next two BSU batters were retired on a fly out and strikeout to end the game.

Boser, Grancorvitz and junior Brendan Paul each recorded two hits in the game while Perkins scored two runs with three RBI, all coming on his seventh-inning home run. Borg, Kalberer and Paul each tallied doubles. Freshman pitcher Will Lavin (0-4) took the loss after throwing 3.1 innings with six earned runs allowed on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Bemidji State will travel to Marshall, Minn., April 17-18 for a three-game series against Southwest Minnesota State University. The Beavers and Mustangs open the series at 1:30 p.m. Saturday with a doubleheader before a 12 p.m. series finale on Sunday.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

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