May 2, 2002

BEMIDJI, Minn. - Bemidji State used a strong effort by its pitching staff to complete a two-game exhibition double-header sweep of the Great Plains (Manitoba) Baseball Academy this afternoon at BSU Baseball Field, 10-2 and 16-0.

In Game 2, BSU pitchers Nate Olson and Alan Ryan combined to throw a no hitter. Olson started on the hill and retired the game’s first five hitters before hitting DH Mark Macaulay with two out in the second, the only Academy base-runner of the game. Olson retired the next seven men he faced before yielding to Ryan in the fifth inning. Ryan hurled three perfect innings in relief, retiring all nine men he faced and striking out five.

BSU scored in all but the first and sixth innings in the 16-0 Game 2 blowout.

After a scoreless first, BSU got on the board with a solo home run by Charlie Plumadore to lead off the second and an RBI double by Jeremy Mellen later in the frame. The Beavers then added three in the third, six in the fourth and five in the fifth to complete their scoring for the day.

Plumadore was 2 for 3 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored in Game 2; Justin Reid was 1 for 3 with a three-run home run, four RBI and one run scored; and Ryan Risbrudt went 1 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored after entering as a reserve in the fourth inning. In total, BSU used 13 players in the field and all 13 reached base at some point during the game. Only eight of BSU’s 16 runs were earned.

The Academy got on the board first in Game 1, plating an unearned run in the top of the first after Brian Snaith led off the game reaching safely on an error by BSU shortstop Tyler Norland. But BSU picked up an unearned run in the home half of the first on the first of seven Academy errors in the contest to even the score at 1-1. BSU then blew the game open with four runs in the bottom of the second - two coming unearned after three more Academy errors - to take a 5-1 lead. BSU added four in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth to round out the 10-2 win.

Shaun Zenner started on the mound for BSU and threw four innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out two before yielding to Nate Heim in the top of the fifth. Heim allowed just one hit to earn the win.

Scott Petrowski led the BSU attack in Game 1 with a three-run home run to right field in the fourth; Nate Olson finished 3 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored; and Gunner Geller went 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored.

BSU’s bullpen threw six innings in the double-header and allowed just one hit - a seventh-inning single in Game 1.

BSU and the Great Plains Academy have a second exhibition double-header on tap for May 4 in Winnipeg.