Beavers have best offensive performance of series but fall just short in finale

BSU Baseball falls 12-9 to Wayne State in series finale Sunday

The Bemidji State University Baseball team had its best offensive output of its series against Wayne State College scoring nine runs off eight hits but fell just short of victory falling 12-9 to the Wildcats Sunday afternoon in Elkhorn, Neb.

The Beavers started the game by scoring the first run in the first inning when senior Jack Munson hit an RBI single to center field that scored junior Hunter Daymond who reached on a fielder’s choice.

The Beavers clung onto the one-run lead until the third inning when Wayne State exploded for a four-run, third inning after stringing together hits.

Another run by the Wildcats in the fourth increased their lead to 5-1 but the Beavers responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs after sophomore Riley Czech hit a bases loaded, two-out double that cleared the bases.

However, the Wildcats would respond and score three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to extend their lead to 10-4 before the Beavers would score again in the seventh with a Matt Filippi solo home run, his first collegiate home run to bring the score to 10-5.

WSC would make it 11-5 in the next inning but the Beavers answered with four runs in the bottom half of the eighth when freshman Hudson Filippi hit a three-run home run for his first career home run as well. Sophomore Jackson Schaffer then followed by driving in Czech from third after he singled earlier in the inning.

The Wildcats would send in their closer for the ninth and he would send down the Beavers in order to claim the 12-9 victory and series sweep over BSU.

The Beavers’ hitters collected the most hits (8) and runs (9) in the series led by Czech who went 2-for-4 with a double and three
RBI and Matt Filippi who also went 2-for-4 with a home run, walk and RBI. The Beavers also drew seven walks in the game, the most in the series.

Junior Derek Hoffman made his first appearance on the mound for BSU this season and went five innings allowing eight runs off seven hits, struck out four and walked two but earns his first loss of the season. Matt Filippi also pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball and struck out four of the eight batters he faced and allowed just two hits.

The Beavers will now look to Feb. 23-25 when they travel to Kansas City, Mo., to take on Rockhurst University for a four-game series. BSU will remain in the Kansas City area until Mar. 4 for spring break playing William Jewell College for four games and University of Missouri-St. Louis for two.