WAYNE, Neb. – The Bemidji State University Baseball team (1-13) faced a tough series at Wayne State College (Neb.), dropping all four games played on Thursday and Friday at the Pete Chapman Complex in Wayne, Neb.
 
**Game 1: Thursday, 9-5 Loss**
Bemidji State fell to Wayne State (6-8) 9-5 in game one of their doubleheader Thursday. The Beavers took an early lead in the second inning, scoring two runs when sophomore Beau Thoma singled to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch, followed by a single from freshman Jack Feldman that brought both Thoma and sophomore Matt Filippi home, giving the Beavers a 2-1 advantage.
 
The third inning saw Evenson hit a solo home run to right field, extending the lead to 3-1. However, the Wildcats responded in the fourth inning with an explosive performance, scoring eight runs, flipping the score to 9-3 in their favor.
 
Bemidji State attempted a comeback in the sixth inning, with Thoma scoring on a fielding error and Filippi also crossing the plate, narrowing the gap to 9-5, but the Beavers were unable to score again.
 
**Player Highlights:**
- **Zach Evenson**: 1-for-4 with a home run, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored; pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs with five strikeouts.
- **Beau Thoma**: Scored twice with one hit in three at-bats.
- **Jack Feldman**: Recorded two RBIs and one hit, along with one stolen base.
- **Connor Donlin**: 2 1/3 innings, one hit, no runs, one strikeout.
 
**Game 2: Thursday, 12-0 Loss**
In the second game on Thursday, Bemidji State fell 12-0. The Beavers started strong with Nolan Reiter getting hit by a pitch, but failed to capitalize in the first inning. The Wildcats took an early lead with two runs in the first. The fourth inning saw Wayne State extend its lead significantly, scoring seven runs on six hits, pushing the score to 12-0.
 
**Player Highlights:**
- **Matt Filippi**: 1-for-3 performance at the plate.
- **Jacob Smith**: Pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits.
- **Riley Czech**: Delivered 2 innings of scoreless relief with 1 hit allowed.
 
**Game 3: Friday, 6-3 Loss**
On Friday, Bemidji State continued to struggle, falling to Wayne State College by a score of 6-3. The Beavers opened strong, with Thoma hitting a double and Noah Drusch following with a single, leading to a two-RBI single by Filippi and an early 2-0 lead.
 
Wayne State responded with a run in the third and then took the lead in the fourth, scoring two runs. Bemidji leveled the score at 3-3 in the fifth with a double from Drusch and a single from Evenson. However, Wayne regained the lead with an unearned run and added two more in the sixth to conclude the game at 6-3.
 
**Player Highlights:**
- **Noah Drusch**: Led with two runs and two hits.
- **Zach Evenson**: Contributed one RBI and a hit.
- **Derek Hoffman**: Three innings, four hits, two earned runs.
- **Cole Smith**: 2 1/3 innings, three hits, three runs.
 
**Game 4: Friday, 19-1 Loss**
In the final game of the series, Bemidji State suffered a heavy defeat against Wayne State, concluding with a score of 19-1. The Beavers scored first in the second inning with a double from Filippi, who later scored on a single by Feldman.
 
Despite a strong start, Bemidji's offense faltered, leaving multiple runners on base throughout the game. Wayne State capitalized on scoring opportunities, extending their lead significantly in the later innings, leading to the final score of 19-1.
 
**Player Highlights:**
- **Beau Thoma**: 2-for-4 with a double.
- **Matt Filippi**: Contributed with a hit and a run scored.
- **Josh Haugen**: Three innings, four earned runs on 3 hits.
- **Riley Czech**: Allowed two runs, none earned, on 1 hit.
 
The Beavers will look to regroup before another road trip to Southwest Minnesota State University, March 22-23.
 
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—