DATE: March 9, 2007
Tigers score eleven unanswered runs to take first against Beavers

HAYS, Kan. (Larks Park)- [box] - Bemidji State traveled to Hays, Kan. to play a nine inning contest against the Fort Hays State University Tigers at Larks Park Thursday night. The Beavers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning but saw the Tigers score eleven unanswered runs to take the first game of a three-game series, 11-2.

Bemidji State opened the scoring in the second inning when the Beavers loaded the bases for Ryan Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.). Bohannan roped a two out double to right field that scored runners for second and third to give the Beavers a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers evened the score in the bottom of the third when Tyler Konrade hit a triple to right field to score Brent Briggs from first base. Cody Staten hit a sacrifice fly to left field for the second out of the inning, scoring Konrade from third to knot the score at 2-2.

The Tigers took their first lead of the game in the fourth inning when they put together another two run inning. Jason Pfeifer, Dusty Washburn, and Dylan Briggs hit back-to-back-to-back doubles to give Fort Hays State its first lead of the game at 4-2, Pfeifer scored on Washburn’s double and Washburn scored on Briggs double.

In the fifth inning the Tigers opened the game up as they scored six runs in the inning. Bemidji State brought in Jake Miesen (Springfield, Minn.) to pitch for starting pitcher Brent Vollbrecht (Morristown, Minn.) at the start of the fifth inning. It was a shaky outing for Miesen as he gave up five earned runs on three hits and one walk in a third of an inning pitched. The inning started out with the Tigers Tyler Konrade reaching base when he was hit by a pitch. Luke Dreiling hit a one out single to center field that platted the runners from second and third to push the Tiger lead to 6-2. Jason Pfeifer followed up with a RBI single to increase the Tiger lead to five runs.

Karl Willers (Slayton, Minn.) came into pitch for Miesen with only one out in the inning. Willlers would reduce the damage but before the inning was over the Tigers had a 10-2 lead.

Bemidji State tried to mount a comeback in the last four innings getting runners on in every inning but ended up leaving seven runners on base in the final four innings and ten for the game. Fort Hays State University added its final run of the game in the seventh inning on a RBI single by Dylan Briggs scoring Jason Pfeifer from third base. This was Briggs third RBI of the contest.

Brent Vollbrecht (Morristown, Minn.) took the loss for the Beavers, dropping his record to (0-1) on the season. He allowed four runs on (four earned) on five hits in four innings of work with two strikeouts and two walks. The Beavers used two relievers, as Jake Miesen and Karl Willers came out of the bullpen. Miesen worked a 1/3 of an inning allowing five runs (five earned) on three hits with one strikeout and one walk; Willers allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in 3 2/3 innings of work.

Jarrod King picked up the win for the Tigers. King allowed two runs (two earned) on six hits picking up three strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work, improving his record to 3-1 on the season for the Tigers. The Tigers used three relievers, as Nate Smith and James Simpson followed Kendall Cogan out of the bullpen. All three pitched one inning allowing zero runs.

Eric Pilgram (Park Rapids, Minn.) and Ryan Bohannon (Goodyear, Minn.) lead the Beavers on the offensive end. Pilgram went 2-for-4 with one run scored in the game and Bohannon was 1-for-3 with both of Bemidji State’s RBI’s.

Bemidji State dropped to 0-8 overall on the season with the loss while Fort Hays State University saw its season mark improve to 8-3 with the win.

Bemidji State and Fort Hays State University will wrap up its three-game set with a double-header on Friday from Larks Park in Hays, Kan. The first pitch of the double-header is slated for 1:00 p.m.

--beavers--