BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Baseball 2023 season got underway Saturday afternoon but No. 12 University of Illinois Springfield was too much for the Beavers as it won both games of the doubleheader 12-0 in game one and then walked-off in the bottom of the seventh in game two for a 4-3 victory.
 
The Beavers fall to 0-2 to start the season while the Prairie Stars improved to 6-3.
 
Bemidji State held the Prairie Stars to five runs through seven innings but UIS scored seven runs in the eighth inning to run away with game one.
 
Bemidji State struggled to solve UIS's starting pitcher Chad Saner who held the Beavers to just four hits through seven innings. BSU reached base five times in the game with James Wirt, Jack Munson (2B), Carter Simon and Seth Goplen each recording hits for the Beavers. However, the Beavers were held off of the scoreboard falling 12-0.
 
Junior Will Lavin got the mound in the first game for the Beaves and pitched four innings allowing six hits, five earned, five walks and struck out four for his first loss of the season. Freshman Christian Lindow pitched three innings in relief in his first collegiate appearance and allowed no hits and just one baserunner while collecting a strikeout while redshirt sophomore Jesse Johnson allowed seven runs, two earned, off four hits in one inning.
 
Bemidji State jumped to an early 3-0 lead over the Prairie Stars after Wyatt Hamann and Ty Karger (2) drove in the first runs of the season for the Beavers off a pair of base hits in the first inning. UIS chipped away at the Beavers' lead one-by-one ad scored runs in the bottom of the first, second and third innings to tie the game.
 
The Beavers were held scoreless over the next four innings and the Prairie Stars took advantage in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out double followed by an RBI-single to earn the walk-off, seven-inning victory in game two.
 
BSU totaled nine hits in the game including two from Carter Simon and Goplen while Munson and Derek Dolezal each hit doubles. Karger's two RBI's paced the team while Hamann added the lone RBI for the Beavers.
 
Senior Logan Barrick started game two on the mound and pitched six innings holding the No. 12 Prairie starts to three earned runs off nine hits, walked two and struck out three to get the no decision. Senior Jake Matise came in relief in the seventh and retired the first two batters before surrendering the walk-off hit to earn his first loss of the season.
 
Goplen and Simon paced the Beavers with three hits on the day and each scored a run while Munson recorded two hits, both doubles.
 
Bemidji State will attempt to earn its first wins of the season tomorrow morning when the two teams play another doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State baseball program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeaversBase), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversBase).
 
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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