Huntley totals four hits as Beaver Baseball earns first NSIC win

Sophomore infielder Blake Huntley totaled four hits with two RBI and one run to help the Bemidji State University baseball team to a split Wednesday night against Concordia University-St. Paul. The Beavers earned their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win with a 6-4 seventh-inning comeback before taking a 9-1 loss to the Golden Bears.

Game One – W, 6-4
Bemidji State found itself in a familiar position after leading 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, while junior Noah Boser drove in the go-ahead run in the first inning and sophomores Jackson Back and Blake Huntley added an RBI each in the fourth inning. Concordia-St. Paul took a late lead, 4-3, after a one-out, two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Beavers entered the top of the seventh inning needing just one run to tie the game, which was scored by sophomore Matt Kummet following a lead-off double, single, and sacrifice bunt. Kummet was just the first of three straight two-out, RBI hits for BSU to give it a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Senior pitcher Jesse Palafox entered to strike out the lead-off batter before giving up a double down the left field line. With the game-tying run at the plate, Palafox continued to strike out the following two batters to give BSU its first win in NSIC play this season.

Senior pitcher Tommy Geisenhof (1-1) earned the win after throwing 1.0 inning with one hit allowed while Palafox earned his first save of the season after striking out three batters in 1.0 inning. Kummet led BSU with three hits and added one RBI and one run while Huntley totaled two RBI on two hits through the game. Boser and junior Kade Nelson each finished with two hits and one RBI each.

Game Two – L, 9-1
The Golden Bears jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning following two walks and a two-out ground-rule double to left field. BSU got its first base runner on a walk in the second inning before getting on the scoreboard with a lead-off single and two errors by CSP in the third inning. With the Beavers trailing 2-1, the Golden Bears pushed the lead back to two runs with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning.

While CSP scored six runs between the fourth and eighth innings, BSU was only able to total four base runners on three hits as all four were left stranded through the remainder of the game.

Huntley recorded two of BSU’s four hits and scored the team’s only run of the game. Freshman pitcher Zack Henderson threw 4.0 innings in relief with two strikeouts and three hits allowed against 17 batters faced. Back (0-3) took the loss after throwing the first 3.0 innings with three strikeouts and six hits and six earned runs allowed.

Bemidji State will stay on the road to complete its week of NSIC games as its home series against Minnesota State University, Mankato was moved to Mankato, Minn. The Beavers and Mavericks will play a four-game series Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31 at Bowyer Field.