Solid starting pitching and timely hitting guided the Bemidji State University baseball team to a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and home opener sweep of visiting Wayne State College Thursday, winning 2-1 and 7-3. The Beavers have won five straight and are 10-3 in their last 13 games.
Freshman right-hander Derek Masberg (Kilkenny, Minn.) made his collegiate debut in game one and pitched a complete game, one-hitter to lift BSU (13-10, 7-3 NSIC) to the victory. He issued four walks, but fanned six batters in the 99-pitch victory. Wayne State had entered the game fourth in the NSIC in batting average (.299) and averaged 9.0 hits per game.
The Wildcats (15-13, 8-6 NSIC) got on the board first with a single run in the top of the second, but a two-run homer off the bat of junior Dylan Webb (1B, Ahwatukee, Ariz.) in the bottom half handed the home team a 2-1 lead through two. Webb’s second homerun in four games plated freshman Bo Schmitz (C, St. Cloud, Minn.), who posted a double to shallow center field.
The 2-1 lead proved to be enough for Masberg, as BSU totaled seven hits, getting two each from sophomore Joey Hanowski (INF/OF, Little Falls, Minn.) and Schmitz.
Wayne State got on the board first in game two with a single run in the opening frame, then tacked on two more in the third to open a 3-0 lead through two and a half.
The bottom of the third started with three Bemidji State hits and a walk to score two runs. Senior Chad Hanson (OF, St. Paul, Minn.) and sophomore Tyler Nelson (INF, Hayfield, Minn.) each recorded RBI singles to cut the deficit to 3-2. After a wild pitch moved up both runners, Hanowski grounded out to second to plate Hanson, then senior catcher Zach Braun (Lakeville, Minn.) lined out to left to allowed Nelson to tag-up and slide safely home for the 4-3 lead.
Bemidji State scored three in the fourth to open a 7-3 advantage. Freshman Logan Riedel (RHP/OF, Clarissa, Minn.) posted a one-out single to right to allow Schmitz to score the first run of the inning. Back-to-back singles loaded the bases for Nelson, who would chop one off the plate and create confusion in front of the home dish. Riedel came home safe as the WSC pitcher was covering, then complained about the call while Nelson raced down to first. He threw to first, but it wasn’t in time, then heads up running allowed freshman Ben Boser (INF, Pierz, Minn.) to round third and come home to score, beating the throw back from first to give the home team a 7-3 lead.
Again the small lead proved to be enough for the BSU pitching staff. Junior righty Mike Hanson (Cass Lake, Minn.) made his season debut and hurled five complete innings and allowed the three runs (two earned) on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Sophomore southpaw Nate Heisick (Plymouth, Minn.) came in and recorded a four-inning save. He allowed just one hit and fanned three batters, while avoiding a walk.
The Beavers totaled 11 hits, guided by two each from Hanson, Braun, Riedel and Boser. Both Riedel and Boser, batting eighth and ninth respectfully, scored twice, while Hanson and Braun each tallied an RBI. Nelson went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Bemidji State remains home April 12-13 when Winona State University visits BSU Baseball Field. Saturday’s NSIC doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. start, while the league double dip Sunday is schedule to begin at 12 p.m.