DATE: April 1, 2004
Beavers split twinbill with Huskies; drop opener 4-1, win nightcap 7-4
box scores [game 1][game 2]
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (Dick Putz Field) - The Bemidji State
baseball team picked up its first victory of the 2004 season
and snapped a school record-tying 20-game losing streak
dating back to the end of the 2003 season, overpowering
the St. Cloud State Huskies 7-4 in Game 2 of a March 31
twinbill. Bemidji State dropped the opener, 4-1.
Bemidji State took advantage of three St. Cloud State
errors, converting the miscues into four unearned runs,
to pick up its first win of the 2004 season in the nightcap.
Tony Klaers led off the second with a walk and later scored
on a fielder’s choice by Tyler Norland to give the
Beavers a 1-0 lead.
The Beavers extended that led to 4-0 with a three-run
fourth, with all three runs unearned by the Husky pitching
staff. Klaers doubled and Isaac Smieja reached after being
hit by a pitch to give BSU runners and first and second
with two out. Norland reached on an error by shortstop
Dan Skog, scoring Klaers, and would later come around to
score with Smieja on an error by center fielder Gary Kiess
to give the Beavers a 4-0 cushion.
The Huskies got on the board with a run in the second
courtesy of an RBI double by catcher Travis Thompson, but
BSU would continue to pour it on in the top of the fifth.
The Beavers added three more runs in the fifth, extending
their lead to 7-1. Jon Czech scored Jared Podraza with
an RBI double, and after Dan Wagner reached on an error
to extend the inning Czech and Klaers would score to put
the game out of reach. Klaers’ run was the fourth
unearned run scored by BSU in the game.
St. Cloud attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh,
plating three runs on a two-RBI double from Parnell O’Connor
and an RBI single by Joe Durham, but Kyle Johnson flied
out to center to end the rally and give BSU its first win
of the season.
Smieja went 3-for-3 in the win, just the second three-hit
game by a Beaver this year.
Josh Langlie started and earned the victory for the Beavers.
He went 3.1 innings and allowed just two hits while striking
out three. Scott Pugliese pitched three innings in relief
and allowed three Husky runs, and Matt Middendorf recorded
the final two outs.
St. Cloud State grabbed an early lead in Game 1, scoring
Skog in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by
Nate Swan. The Huskies held that 1-0 lead until the top
of the sixth, when Bemidji State pulled even on an RBI
single from Norland to score Dan Wagner.
But the Huskies would put the game away on a three-run
home run by Joe Durham in the bottom of the sixth. The
Beavers attempted a rally in the seventh, loading the bases
with two out, but designated hitter Matt Pesta grounded
out to third to end the rally.
Bemidji State was unable to take advantage of runners
in scoring position throughout the game. BSU had the bases
loaded in the fourth and failed to score; saw its leadoff
hitter reach third base in the fifth; had a runner thrown
out at the plate in the sixth; and left the bases loaded
in the seventh.
Bryant Salamone took the loss for BSU, despite allowing
just four hits in 5.1 innings of work. He allowed four
runs (all earned) and struck out five hitters, but walked
five and hit another. Russell Berner recorded the final
two outs in relief, striking out one.
The 4-1 loss left Bemidji State with 20 consecutive losses,
dating back to last season, tying the school record for
longest losing streak set from 1958-59.
The
double-header split leaves Bemidji State 1-19 on the season
while St. Cloud State moves to 4-14 overall. BSU is scheduled
to return to action April 3-4 when it travels to St. Paul,
Minn. to tackle the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears. The
teams will play a four-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate
Conference series with double-headers starting at 1:30
p.m. on April 3 and noon on April 4.
--bsu-- |
