The Bemidji State University baseball team will host its earliest home opener ever on March 20-21 against Minnesota State University, Mankato after a site reversal due to field conditions. The Beavers and Mavericks will play a three-game series, including a doubleheader on Saturday, to open the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule.
Who: Bemidji State (1-4, 0-0 NSIC) vs. Minnesota State (1-3, 0-0 NSIC)
When: Saturday, March 20 (12/2 p.m.) / Sunday, March 21 (12 p.m.)
Where: Bemidji, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field)
Series History Under Bellew
Overall Record: MSU leads, 33-6
Record in Bemidji: MSU leads, 12-0
Record in Mankato: MSU leads, 13-0
Bemidji State opened the 2021 season with a five-game spring trip in Fort Scot, Kan., from March 6-10. BSU went 1-4 during its opening games, taking a 9-7 win over William Jewell College and taking two losses to each of the University of Minnesota Crookston and St. Cloud State University.
Bemidji State’s relief pitching guided the team to its extra-inning win in game two of the day as junior pitchers Kenny Morris and Travis Carruth went 6.1 innings combined with no hits allowed and two strikeouts each. Carruth earned the pitching staff’s first win after throwing 3.0 innings and allowed just three base runners. Boser drove in BSU’s first run of the game on an RBI single before taking a 6-1 lead after a five-run fifth inning. Sophomore third baseman Tom Keohen drove in two of his four RBI in the game in the fifth inning on a two-RBI single. After allowing six WJC runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, BSU tied the game at 7-7 on a run-scoring error. In the 11th inning, Keohen drove in his final two RBI on a game-winning home run before Carruth closed the game out facing four batters in the bottom half of the inning.
The Beavers found themselves in four-run deficits by the end of the third inning of each loss against the Golden Eagles and the Huskies.
Three Beavers lead the team with five hits while junior Owen Anderson leads the team with a .455 batting average. He added four RBI, two runs scored, one home run and one double over the opening five games. Anderson also leads the team with a .818 slugging percentage and a .571 on-base percentage.
Juniors Parker Borg and Logan Barrick also have five hits on the season, with a .357 batting average for Borg and a .313 batting average for Barrick. Borg totaled four runs, two doubles and three walks through the spring trip and also holds a perfect fielding percentage with 16 putouts. Barrick has recorded two runs, one home run, one triple and one double with a .688 slugging percentage. He finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle in BSU’s season opener against UMC.
Morris leads the BSU pitching staff with 6.1 innings pitched and a 5.68 ERA. He has five strikeouts and three walks while allowing seven hits and an opponent batting average of .269.
Heading into the week, Bemidji State ranks 10th in the NSIC with 18 runs scored, tied for 10th with 10 extra-base hits, 12th with a .239 batting average and 13th with a .941 fielding percentage.
The Beaver pitching staff ranks 10th in the conference with 37 strikeouts, 13th with 32 walks allowed, 14th with an opposing batting average of .458 and 15th with a 20.57 ERA.
Fan Attendance
Fans will be permitted to attend.
Masks are required at all times.
No food or beverage is allowed.
Restrooms are available in the PE Complex building.
All fans must complete the BSU Online Health Screen tool prior to entering. (https://mnscu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2uy2ZtIey9YtQ7X)