KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Bemidji State University Baseball team faced a challenging doubleheader against (RV) Rockhurst University over the weekend at Bourke Field in Kansas City, Mo., narrowly falling in both contests with scores of 12-10 and 11-10 Thursday.
Bemidji State fell to Rockhurst in a high-scoring affair in game one, 12-10. The Beavers rallied with a five-run sixth inning, highlighted by a home run from
Hunter Hyden, but RU secured their win with a three-run seventh. Both teams recorded 12 hits, with the Beavers also collecting three doubles.
Beau Thoma led the offensive effort with two runs and two doubles. Hyden contributed two runs, two hits, and two RBIs while also stealing a base.
Adrian Falcon delivered a triple and two RBIs, adding a stolen base to his performance.
Noah Drusch hit a home run, registering one RBI and drawing two walks.
On the mound,
Andrew Murphy started for the Beavers, pitching 2 1/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits, including two home runs.
Riley Czech relieved Murphy but did not record an out, allowing one hit and walking two batters.
Connor Donlin pitched 1 1/3 innings, surrendering three earned runs on three hits, while
Carter Scanlon provided solid relief with 2 2/3 innings pitched, allowing one unearned run and striking out five batters.
Jack Barnett closed the game, pitching 1/3 of an inning and allowing two unearned runs on one hit.
The game started evenly, with the Beavers taking an early lead when
Matt Filippi scored on a fielding error. However, Rockhurst quickly tied it with a homer by J. Syfert. In the third inning, Hyden doubled and scored on a single by Falcon, putting Bemidji State briefly ahead before RU's five-run rally gave them a 6-2 lead. The Hawks then extended their lead to 9-2 by the fourth inning.
Bemidji State mounted a comeback in the sixth, narrowing the gap to 9-8, but Rockhurst answered with three runs in the seventh, ultimately winning 12-10.
In the second game, Bemidji State fell to Rockhurst again, this time in a closer 11-10 loss. Rockhurst's early six-run first inning provided enough cushion for their victory, despite Bemidji's strong comeback effort, which included a four-run sixth inning.
Matt Filippi had a notable performance, drawing two walks, scoring twice, and stealing three bases as part of the team's season-high of eight stolen bases.
Hunter Hyden delivered three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs.
Jack Feldman added two hits, a double, and three RBIs while also scoring once and stealing a base.
On the pitching side,
Beau Barry started the game, allowing seven runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Jacob Smith relieved and was effective over 2 2/3 innings, striking out four batters while allowing two runs.
Lucas Ferreira finished the game, throwing 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts, allowing two earned runs.
Rockhurst started strong, scoring six runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer from D. Hanna and a three-run homer from L. Schultz. Bemidji State responded in the second with a four-run inning, narrowing the gap to 6-4. The teams exchanged runs through the third and fourth innings, with the score reaching 10-5 in favor of Rockhurst by the fifth.
In a tense sixth inning, the Beavers rallied for four runs, closing the score to 10-9. The seventh inning saw Filippi walk and score on Hyden's RBI double, tying the game at 10-10. However, the Hawks reclaimed the lead with a bases-loaded walk, sealing the game at 11-10.
Looking ahead, Bemidji State continues play in Missouri by taking on William Jewell College in a four-game series Feb. 27-Mar. 1.
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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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