Bemidji State, Sioux Falls play three-game series March 27-28
The Bemidji State University baseball team continues its seven-game road trip with a three-game series March 27-28 at the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Beavers and Cougars open the weekend with a doubleheader at 12 p.m. Saturday followed by a single nine-inning game at 12 p.m. Sunday at Sioux Falls Stadium.
Who: Bemidji State (1-9, 0-5 NSIC) at Sioux Falls (4-3, 0-3 NSIC)
When: Saturday, March 27 (12/2 p.m.)/Sunday, March 28 (12 p.m.)
Where: Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sioux Falls Stadium)
Series History Under Bellew
Overall Record: BSU leads, 10-9
Record in Bemidji: BSU leads, 5-3
Record in Winona: USF tied, 4-3
Bemidji State was swept in a midweek doubleheader March 24 at Winona State University. The Warriors took game one 5-2 followed by a 10-0 win in seven innings during game two.
Freshman pitcher Will Lavin (0-2) threw a career-high eight strikeouts in game one after entering with seven total on the season. He threw 5.0 innings with six hits, four walks and three earned runs allowed. Lavin took the loss while junior pitcher Kenny Morris threw 1.0 inning with one strikeout, one hit and one walk allowed. Sophomore Tom Keohen accounted for both of BSU’s runs, moving home after a double on a passed ball and wild pitch before driving in an RBI on a double to left center field in the seventh inning.
Winona State took a 1-0 lead after the second inning and extended it with two runs in the third and six in the fifth. The Beavers totaled three baserunners in the second inning but accounted for just three during their six other innings.
Following Wednesday’s doubleheader, the Beavers rank seventh in the NSIC with 66 hits, eighth with 40 runs scored and 35 walks, and 13th with a .224 batting average. On the mound, BSU ranks fourth in the conference with 79 strikeouts and last in ERA, and hits and runs allowed.
Keohen leads BSU with 16 total bases, 10 hits, three doubles and eight RBI, and has recorded four RBI over the last three games. Juniors Logan Barrick, Parker Borg and Sam Kalberer each have eight hits and four runs scored entering the weekend while Barrick has six RBI.
Morris leads the team with 10.2 innings pitched and holds an ERA of 6.75 with nine strikeouts and four walks in four appearances. Lavin holds an ERA of 8.59 in 7.1 innings pitched after his third appearance and second start of the season on Wednesday. He leads the team with 12 strikeouts and is holding opponents to a .226 batting average.
The Cougars are led by head coach Grant Hieb in his third season with the program. He enters Thursday with an overall record of 56-110 with Sioux Falls.
USF was swept in its NSIC-opening series at Minot State University, taking losses of 12-2, 13-3 and 11-3. Sioux Falls plays the University of Minnesota Crookston in a doubleheader Thursday, March 25 in Brandon, S.D., before hosting Bemidji State Saturday and Sunday.