BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Baseball team continues its season-opening weekend and now travels south to Liberty, Mo., for a four-game series at William Jewell College Friday, Feb. 28-Mar. 2.
 
The Beavers (1-1, 0-0 NSIC) and Cardinals (2-4, 0-0 GLVC) begin their series with a single nine-inning game Friday beginning at 3:00 p.m. The teams will then play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. and then conclude the series Sunday with another nine-inning game starting at 1:00 p.m.
 
Each game will be streamed live here with live stats available, here.
 
The Beavers are coming off a season-opening doubleheader at University of Wisconsin-Parkside Wednesday where the Beavers rallied for a 3-1 comeback win in game one but fell 5-9 in game two after a five-run seventh inning by the Rangers.
 
Juniors Chris Lubchuk and Noah Drusch led the Beavers at the plate each totaling six bases in the series after both hit their first home runs and doubles for the Beavers. Freshman Jack Feldman also collected two base hits and paces the team with a .400 batting average and .500 on-base percentage. Sophomore Matt Filippi was a force on the base paths and went 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts while the Beavers collected four stolen bases as a team.
 
Chris Lubchuk also paces the Beavers after he drove in three of the Beavers seven runs in the series while Drusch added two.
 
On the mound, senior Derek Hoffman was dominant and held the Rangers to just one earned run off seven hits in his first start of 2025 posting a 1.50 earned run average and collected the first win of his collegiate career (16 starts). Junior Cole Smith closed out the Beavers win to collect his first collegiate save and made two appearances in the series. He didn't allow a run over 2.1 innings and struck out two of nine batters faced.
 
Redshirt sophomore Josh Haugen started game two and pitched 3.2 innings allowing three earned runs off five hits and struck out three. Pitching coach Davis Schaefer then turned to the bullpen to close out the game where Matt Greiner, Sawyer Nendick and Daniel Pobuda each didn't allow runs. Jacob Smith earned the loss after he came in and pitched the seventh inning allowing four earned runs off four hits and one walk.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State baseball program, follow the Beavers on X, like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram.
 
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).

--bsu—