Bemidji Mudcats baseball

CATS SWEEP Duluth!!

The Bemidji Mudcats used excellent hurling Sunday to sweep its Arrowhead League double header at Duluth and climb back into the league race.

Paul Fenner hurled a 4-0 win in the opener with Tyler Norland pitching the 5-2 second game victor.

The sweep lifted the Cats to 3-2 in the league and 13-5-1 overall.

Grand Rapids leads the Arrowhead at 4-1 with Bemidji 3-2, Nashwauk 4-3, Duluth 1-3 and Hibbing 0-3.

Fenner closed down the Express on two hits in the opening game for his third win of the year. He struck out eight and walked two in going the route.

Bemidji scored twice in the first on an error, Tony Klaers’ single and a wild pitch, which plated one, and Neil Huewe’s double which sent home the second.

They were then blanked by Jeff Adams through the sixth before scoring twice in the seventh on Phil Ronnebaum’s single a walk, sacrifice and Klaers’ two-run single.

Klaers and Ronnebaum each had two hits in the eight-hit Mudcats attack.

Bemidji scored three runs in the sixth to snap a 2-2 tie and win the nightcap.

Norland scattered seven hits, fanning three and walking three to reach 3-0..

Bemidji had 11 hits off two Express pitchers with Josh Petka working the first six to take the loss.

Dan Bauer reached on an error and scored on a ground out in the first.

Duluth took a 2-1 lead in the second on a walk, Grant Kolhase’s double and Kevin Knock’s single, each hit driving home a run .

But they managed only two base runners the rest of the way as Norland was in complete control.

The Cats tied the game in the fourth when Huewe doubled and scored on Norland’s two bagger.

They won in the sixth when Jeff Schaper singled, Sam Anderson reached on an error and Norland singled to load the bases.

Ronnebaum sent home two with a single and Ryan Johnson plated the third.

Norland had three hits and Klaers and Huewe two for Bemidji. Duluth’s five came from as many different batters.

CATS WIN 5TH ROSCO TOURNY IN 9 YEARS!!!

The Bemidji Mudcats returned to the throne of the 9th annual Rosco Invitational Tournament Sunday, beating Ada’s A’s 8-0 in the title game.

The Blue Ox took third place with a 1-0 decision over Wadena’s Shockers.

The title was the fifth for the Mudcats in their own meet, returning to the top after a one year absence,

The defending champion Ft. Ripley Rebels finished seventh with a 5-4 win over Nimrod. Dent took fifth place 5-4 over Roseau

Earlier consolation play found Roseau beating Nimrod 12-2 and Dent stopping Ft. Ripley 5-4,

Pitching was the name of the game at BSU.

Tyler Norland made his second appearance of the season for the Mudcats and hurled a five hitter in a route going performance.

He was far from mid season form, allowing base runners in every inning. But he was strong in the clutch with only one advancing past second base. He ended with three strikeouts and four walks.

The only serious threat came in the second when two walks and a sacrifice placed runners at second and third with one gone.

But he avoided a score with a comebacker and strikeout. He allowed one runner aboard in each of the next five frames.

The Cats gave him the only run he would need in the third when Neil Huewe reached on an error with two gone, took third on Dan Nolan’s one bagger off the shortstop’s glove that rolled dead in short center field and scored on a one bagger by Ryan Sander.

Bemidji broke the game open against lefthander David Spies in the fifth.

Dan Bauer beat out a grounder to deep second base and Huewe looped a single over first.

Nolan’s single to right filled the bases and a walk and Jeff Schaper’s single each scored a run. Sam Anderson singled in two more for a 5-0 lead.

The final three crossed against reliever Kyle Nelson in the seventh when Nolan, Sander and Schaper singled for one.

Two more followed when Andrew Hengel’s bouncer to third was thrown wildly trying for a force at second,

Bauer and Nolan ended with three hits and Sander and Schaper two in the 13-hit Bemidji attack.

The Cats played errorless defense. Aaron Cook had two of the five Ada safeties.

Nolan was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The win lifted Bemidji to 11-4-1 The Cats play at the Nimrod Invitational this weekend opening Friday at 6 against the host Gnats.

MUDCATS GO TO TITLE GAME!

The Bemidji Mudcats and Ada A’s moved to the final of the 9th annual Rosco Invitational baseball tournament Saturday.

The Mudcats rode the strong right arm of Paul Fenner to a 2-0 win over the Wadena Shockers. Ada ousted the Bemidji Blue Ox 5-1.

The pair will clash at BSU at 1:30 today for the title. The Blue Ox and Wadena will square off at 11 for third place.

The seventh and fifth place games will be played at the Arena diamond at the same times with Nimrod facing Saturday’s Ft. Ripley-Dent loser for seventh and Roseau’s Royals battling the winner of that game for fifth.

The Blue Ox shocked Ft. Ripley’s defending champions 7-6 in Saturday’s opening games. Wadena turned back Roseau 5-1.

The Mudcats’ win was all Fenner. The veteran right hander tantalized Wadena with a variety of speeds and locations, allowing only four singles, while fanning one and walking none.

In fact, he never reached a three ball count against any of the 25 batters he faced, a remarkable performance..

The Shockers only threat came in the third when they put runners at second and first with two outs. But a grounder to third brought a force out to end that frame. Fenner retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced in the last three frames.

His effort was needed since Bemidji struggled to score against righthander Jordan Wohlwend.

He allowed seven hits, fanned three and walked one.

The Cats scored in the first when Dan Bauer singled, stole second, advanced to third on Neil Huewe’s grounder and scored on Dan Nolan’s single.

The second run crossed in the second when Sam Anderson walked, Jeff Schaper singled, Doug Peterson moved them up with a sacrifice and Anderson crossed on a wild pitch.

That was the last serious Bemidji threat though the Cats had base runners in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

Nolan went 3-3 to lead the batting attack. Both teams played errorless defense.

The win lifted the Cats t0 10-4-1 on the year,Tyler Norland will get today’s starting call seeking his second win this summer.

The Cats play in the Nimrod tournament next Friday and Saturday.

Ox socks champs

The biggest shocker of the tournament came Saturday morning when the Blue Ox overcame three deficits to shade the defending champion Ft. Ripley Rebels 7-6.

Bemidji pounded out 14 hits against two Ripley hurlers with Thor Josefson and Dan Bennett getting three and Colton Smith, Justin Huether and Josh Kelsey two.

The Ox trailed 3-0 at the start, 5-4 after three and 6-5 after four but rallied to tie with a run in the fifth and won with another in the sixth.

The winning score came when Nate Brown was hit by a pitch, Kelsey singled and Huether plated Brown with a sacrifice fly.

It was a different story in the afternoon, however.

Jameson Benson, who had stopped the Ox 7-4 on eight hits last weekend at Ada in a league game, limited them to five Saturday, fanning three and walking one. Aaron Cook pitched a scoreless final inning.

Matt Fossen gave up seven hits and three eared runs, fanning two and walking two.

Ada scored in the first when Chris Ellingson walked, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on Benson’s two-out double to the right center field fence.

The A’s made it 4-0 in the third. Adam Lee singled and stole second. He scored as Ellingson reached on an error. With two gone, Benson plated the second run with a single. Sam Kinney followed with a one bagger and scored as Mike Gullingsrud reached on another misplay.

Ken Hayden scored the final A’s tally when he lofted a high fastball over the green monster to open the Ada fourth.

The Blue Ox broke the ice in the last of the fourth when Justin Huether singled. He was forced at second by Nate Brown who advanced a base when the relay to first went wild.

He got to third on a wild pitch and scored on Bennett’s sacrifice fly.

But that was it. Brown reached third with two gone in the sixth but was stranded and a two out walk went to waste in the seventh.

The Blue Ox four hits came off as many different bats, all singles. Benson had three of the seven Ada safeties.

Cody Gross (0-2) will get today’s starting call. The Ox dropped to 3-6.

MUDCATS WQIN ON WALK_OFF BOMB!

Jeff Schaper powered a high curve ball well over the green monster Friday night to lift the Bemidji Mudcats to a 6-5 victory over Nimrod.

The Cats battled back from a 4-0 deficit in the third inning to tie the score in the sixth and avoid constant threats by the visitors down the stretch.

Reliever Doug Shequen, the former Staples high star, came in to start the ninth as the third Nimrod hurler. He retired the first two batters easily. But he hung a curve on his first pitch to Schaper and the big first sacker hung it over the highest sign on the green monster in deep left center field to send the Bemidji fans home happy.

It was not a well played game with each team committing four errors.

Bemidji had runners on base in every innings but was able to score in only four.

Nimrod went down in order in three of the first four frames but threatened constantly thereafter.

Doug Peterson was a surprise starter for Bemidji and retired the Gnats in order the first two frames.

But he lost the strike, zone in the third walking four of the first five batters he faced to force home a run.

After a force at home, Aaron Funk singled in two more and a single by Gunner Johnson made it 4-0.

Ryan Sander, the expected starter, came on to start the fourth and allowed only one unearned run the rest of the way, spacing three singles.

But the Cats struggled to catch up.

They scored in the last of the third when Sam Anderson walked and Dan Bauer singled. Neil Huewe advanced the pair with a sacrifice and Anderson crossed on a wild pitch.

Two more walks filled the bases but the promising rally ended when Andrew Hen gel’s shot to third was turned into a force at home and Peterson fanned.

Bemidji drew within one with two in the fifth.

A hit batter and wild pickoff attempt was followed by a Paul Fenner single for one run. Fenner took second on the throw home and scored on Sander’s double.

Nimrod made it 5-3 in the sixth when Johnson singled, was sacrificed to second and scored with two gone when Dylan Shequen reached on an overthrow.

Nimrod had runners on in the last three innings but failed to score again.

The Mudcats knotted the score in the sixth when Anderson reached on an error and Bauer singled. Huewe again moved them up with a sacrifice and both scored when Anderson was trapped between third and home on Dan Nolan’s grounder but escaped when the ball was thrown into left field on the rundown.

Nolan reached second on the misplay but was stranded.

Nolan singled with two gone in the eighth and advanced on a wild pitch but was stranded again..

But Schaper ended the night on a happy note with his blast in the ninth.

Eight different Mudcats had hits with Bauer the only one with two.

The win lifted Bemidji to 9-4-1.

The Cats will play their semifinal game at 12:30 today against the winner of the early morning game between Wadena’s Shockers and the Roseau Royals.

Ada and Dent played the lower bracket opener Friday night, a game that started at 9:30 an was still in progress at press time.

That winner goes against the Fort Ripley-Bemidji Blue Ox game which will be played at10 this morning at the Arena.

The semifinals are set for 12:30 and 3:00 on both fields. The final four games will be played tomorrow, the title game at 1:30 at BSU.

Fort Ripley is the defending champion.

CATS SNEAK AWAY FROM NASHWAUK!

The Bemidji Mudcats turned the tables on the Nashwauk Colts Tuesday night, shading the Arrowhead League leaders 4-3 at the BSU Stadium.

Nashwauk had taken the first meeting of the year by the same score at Nashwauk.

The Cats built up a 4-0 lead through the first eight innings, then hung on by the skin of their teeth, throwing out the tying run at home plate on the final play of the night.

The game matched Arrowhead League veterans Jamey Fillman of the Colts with Bemidji’s Paul Fenner.

For eight innings, Fenner had the visitors eating out of the palm of his hand, scattering five hits in as many different innings while fanning ten and seemingly home free.

But his mates squandered a golden scoring chance in the eighth that could have broken the game open and almost paid dearly for their mistake.

They scored twice in the third when Fillman walked Dan Bauer and Neal Huewe. Bauer stole third and scored on a wild pitch with Huewe taking second.

He reached third on Tony Klaers’ single and scored on Dan Nolan’s sacrifice fly.

The Cats doubled the score in the sixth when Ryan Sander singled with one gone and reached third when Joe Chimento speared Doug Peterson’s shot to third but threw past second base trying for the force.

Jeff Schaper singled to left to plate Sander and Peterson crossed when Sam Anderson reached on an error.

Nolan’s infield single between two walks filled the sacks in the eight with no outs.

But Fillman wriggled out of the jam with a fly to short center, a pop to first and a ground out to second, leaving the sacks loaded.

It became a near fatal error in the ninth.

Chimento beat out a bunt to open the frame and Joe Martire doubled of the right center field fence. Jeff Cl.usiau reached when his topper to the left side of the mound was bobbled with the two lead runners holding.

Pinch hitter Eric Wright’s sacrifice fly plated one run.

Dan Mell walked to refill the sacks and the second run scored as Sam Martire forced Mell at second.

Fillman then singled to send home the third run and Vince Gangl followed with his third hit of the night to right field.

But Nick Stenberg’s throw to the infield was relayed by Huewe to Klaers who nipped Sam Martire sliding home to end the game.

Gangl was the only Colt with more than one hit. Bauer, Klaers and Sander had two for Bemidji,.

The win lifted the Cats to 1-1 in league play and 8-4-1 overall.

They open the 9th annual Rosco Invitational Friday night facing the Nimrod Gnats at 6:30.

Ada and Dent meet at 9.Saturday, Wadena and Roseau open at 10 at BSU with the Blue Ox facing Ft. Ripley at the same time at the Arena..The semifinals will be at 12:30 and 3 at BSU with the consolation semi’s at the same times at the Arena.

Sunday, the seventh and fifth place games will be at the Arena at 11 and 1:30 with the third and first place games at BSU at 11 and1:30.

BUSY WEEKEND LANDS MUDCATS A 3-1-1 RECORD

The Bemidji Mudcats emerged from a busy weekend with a 3-1-1 record.

They opened with a 9-3 win Friday night at Brainerd before dividing two games Saturday at Ft. Ripley,. losing to that team 3-2 but beating Henderson in the second game 6-0.

Sunday Bemidji won its opener at Nisswa 9-0 before playing to a 13 inning 5-5 tie, called by agreement at that point.

Tonight they return to Arrowhead League play, hosting Nashwauk at7:30 at BSU.

The Colts took the first meeting of the pair 4-3 at Nashwauk.

Paul Fenner (0-1) will get the mound start tonight.

Friday, Bemidji spotted the Bees a 2-0 first inning lead, then came back to take a 4-2 lead in the second, expanded it to 7-2 in the sixth and coasted home.

Joe Andersen started but Matt Stasch, who came on in the third, picked up the win.

The pair limited the Bees to eight hits while fanning eight.

Two hits and two walks produced the two Brainerd runs in the first.

Singles by Doug Peterson, Fenner, Ryan Sander and Andrew Hengel sent home the four in the Bemidji second. A walk, error and hits by Dan Bauer and Dan Nolan sent home three in the sixth.

After the Bees scored their final run in the sixth, Bemidji added two in then ninth on hits by Sam Anderson, Sander and Nick Stenberg around a walk.

Bauer and Sander had three hits for the Cats. Anderson and Fenner had two.

Mudcats 040-003-002—-9—14—1

Brainerd Bees 200-001-000—-3—8—2

J. Andersen, Stasch (1-0) (3) and Clark. Nolan

Flanagan, Joel (3), Crocker (7) and Schmolke

Mound duel

Saturday morning’s opener was a mound duel between Sam Anderson of the Cats and Weletzko of Ft. Ripley.

John Grindeland walked and scored on a wild pitch in the first. Nick Jelacie tripled and scored on a ground out in the second after two walks.

Ft. Ripley went ahead in the fifth on a hit, walk, ground out and sacrifice fly.

Bemidji tied it in the sixth when Nolan doubled, was sacrificed to third and scored as Peterson reached on an error.

The game winner came in the seventh on a walk, sacrifice and double.

Peterson who relieved Anderson to start the sixth, got the loss. His first. Schmolke, who pitched only the seventh, got the win.

Bemidji managed only four hits.

Mudcats 100-001-0—-1—4—0

Ft. Ripley 010-010-1—-3—5—2

Anderson, Peterson (0-1) (6) and Klaers

Waletzko, Schmolke (w) (7) and Haberman

Sander gem

Sander hurled a five hitter in the afternoon game fanning six and walking one to get his third win.

Bemidji scored three in the third on hits by Grindeland, Tony Klaers and Sander around a walk and three in the seventh on a walk, Nolan’s single, a double by Hengel and Sander’s one bagger.

Sander had two of Bemidji’s seven hits.

Mudcats 003-000-3—-6—7—0

Henderson 000-000-0—-0—5—2

Sander (3-1) and Nolan

Nagel and Pedt

Another blank

Tyler Norland made his season debut Sunday and appeared in mid season form,

Last year’s mound ace allowed six hits, two in each of the final two frames. He fanned five and walked one.

Bemidji took charge at the start.

The Cats scored three in the first on a walk, Nolan’s single and Hengel’s three-run homer.

Four more crossed in the third on Grindeland’s single, doubles by Klaers and Nolan, a walk and error.

The final pair crossed in the fourth on Grindeland’s single and doubles by Klaers and Hengel.

Grindeland, Klaers, Nolan and Hengel all had two hits in the nine hit Bemidji attack. Hengel had five rbi.

Mudcats 304-200-0—-9—9—0

Nisswa 000-000-0—-0—5—0

Norland (1-0) and Klaers

Cook (L), Anderson (7) and Morgan

Marathon game

The nightcap was a marathon.

Bemidji took a 3-1 lead in the third only to see Nisswa tie with a pair in the fifth.

Each team scored twice in the 11th and after two more frames, agreed to call it a day.

Bauer went the first nine with Hengel pitching the final four.

Chris Hiltz worked the first six for Nisswa with BHS assistant coach Aaron Jenkins coming on in the tenth.

Three walks filled the bases for Bemidji in the third and Klaers’ single and an error plated all three.

Nisswa had scored in the second on an error, single and passed ball.

It scored twice in the fifth on a walk and two singles.

Both teams went scoreless the next five frames before Bemidji took a 5-2 lead in the 11th on an error, Klaers’ single, Nolan’s double which sent home one and a single by Hengel which plated the second.

But Nisswa came back to tie on a single, walk and two out error which filled the bases and a double by Jenkins.

Neither team threatened in the final two frames before agreeing to end the day.

Nolan had four hits and Klaers and Hengel three in the14 hit Bemidji attack.

Nisswa had only eight.

Cats 300-000-000-020-0—-5—14—2

Nisswa 010-020-000-020-0—-5—8—2

Bauer, Hengel (10) and Nolan

Hilts, Anderson (7), Jenkins (10) and Dickmeyer

MUDCATS WIN!

The Bemidji Mudcats snapped a brief two-game slide Friday winning 7-2 at St, Francis to reach 4-3 on the year.

Saturday’s scheduled game at Shakopee was canceled by the host team, the second Twin Cities team to pull out of a date against Bemidji in two weeks.

This weekend, Bemidji faces another busy slate playing at the Brainerd Bees Friday, facing Ft. Ripley and Henderson in a twin bill Saturday at Ft. Ripley and stopping at Nisswa Sunday on the way home for a single game.

The next home game will be an Arrowhead League contest June 9 against Nashwauk. The Colts won their first meeting with the Cats 4-3 at Nashwauk and followed with a 5-1 win at Grand Rapids to take the early league lead.

Ryan Sander got the win Friday, his second in three decisions.

The BSU hurler allowed only four hits, fanned seven and issued no walks in a route going performance.

Jeff Carp worked into the sixth for St. Francis, giving up the first three runs. The final four came off Bill Rentz in the ninth.

St. Francis took a 2-0 lead in the third when Rentz walked with one out, Cory Raby singled and Tyler Earls doubled home both runners.

From that point on, the home team never had more than one base runner on base in any inning.

The Mudcats scored in the fifth when newcomer Nick Stenberg singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Dan Bauer’s two-out double. Bauer was cut down at third trying for an extra base to end that frame.

Bemidji went ahead in the sixth when John Grindeland reached on an error and scored on Tony Klaers’ double.

With two gone, Paul Fenner singled to plate Klaers.

That finished Carp with Tim Johnson coming on to get the final out.

The 3-2 lead lingered through the eighth inning as Johnson worked two scoreless frames before Rentz relieved to end an eighth inning threat.

He gave up a walk and single before ending that frame but was not as fortunate in the ninth.

Jon Clark was hit by a pitch to open that frame and Bauer singled., They advanced as Klaers grounded out and scored on a double by Klaers.

After Doug Peterson was hit by a pitch, Fenner singled home Klaers. A walk followed before Dan Seaborg’s single delivered Peterson with the final run.

Bemidji ended with14 hits, four by Bauer and two each by Klaers, Fenner and Stenberg.

Earls had two of the losers four.

The three St. Francis hurlers fanned 10 and walked four.

Mudcats 000-012-004—-7—14—2

St. Francis 002-000-000—-2— 4—1

Sanders (2-1) and Clark

Carp (L), Johnson (6), Rentz (8) and Nissen

MUDCATS SLIP OPENING WEEKEND!!!

The Bemidji Mudcats opened their new season dividing a twin bill at Nimrod Saturday.

They beat the host Nimrod Gnats 8-1 in the opening game before falling to Midway’s Snurdbirds 8-7 in the nightcap.

The Cats play another twin bill next Saturday at Wadena taking on Verndale in the opener before facing the host Shockers in the nightcap.

Three Cats hurlers limited Nimrod to six hits in the opener with Andrew Hengel working the fourth and fifth frames to get the win.

Bemidji scored in the first when Ryan Johnson doubled, moved up on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch.

The Cats scored again in the fifth on Ryan Sander’s single and a three base error on Pau Fenner fly to deep center.

It became 6-0 in the fifth when Dan Nolan doubled and scored as Sander reached on an error. After a walk, Hengel blasted a three run homer.

Nolan’s single and doubles by Jeff Schaper and Hengel produced two more in the seventh.

The Nimrod run scored in the sixth off Matt Stasch on two walks and a single by Steve Funk.

Doug Shequen, who worked the first four innings, took the loss.

Midway moved to a 5-1 lead after three in the nightcap and added three more in the fourth for an 8-1 lead.

The Cats fought back with a run in the fifth and five in the seventh but came up a run short.

Sander worked the first three to get the loss with Josh Silvernagel and Dan Bauer working in relief.

Silvernagel singled in a Bemidji run in the third. Paul Fenner’s single and Johnson’s double produced another in the fifth,

With two outs hits by Hengel, Silvernagel, Nolan and Sander followed to cut the lead to one.

But Schaper flied out to end the game.

Jake Lund hurled the distance for Midway to get the win.

Bemidji 100-014-2—-8—11—-0

Nimrod 000-001-0—1——6—4

Fenner, Hengel.(1-0) (4), Stasch (6) ad Huewe

Doug Shequen, Funk (5) and Dylan Sheguen

The Bemidji Mudcats are gearing up for another summer of ball. Many players will return for Skipper Scott Seaton this summer, however there will be holes to fill in the field and in the lineup. The core players will return, including All-State selection Tony Klaers and his red hot stick. Paul Fenner will man the mound this season as the teams ace. Pitching depth will be a point of reflection this spring training for Seaton.

"We need to find depth on the hill this summer. Some guys need to step up and take that roll. We lose a big arm we have had for a long time, but I am confident we will have guys step up."

Dan Bauer and Sam Anderson are 2 guys hoping to step up and fill starting rolls and much needed depth on the hill.

Tune in at another date to get more of an update on Mudcat baseball!!!