BRAINERD - The Bemidji Lumberjacks baseball team ventured outdoors for the first time Friday afternoon and wished it had stayed in the gym.
For a veteran Brainerd nine handed the Jacks a 14-0 setback in five innings at Don Adamson Field, left soggy but playable from the long winter.
Trevor Thompson, the Warriors mound leader last year with a 6-1 record and 1.59 ERA, looked in midseason form.
He worked the first four frames, scattering three singles while fanning seven and walking three. Ethan Branum worked a scoreless fifth.
Three Bemidji hurlers allowed nine hits, three for extra bases, walked four, hit two and uncorked 10 wild pitches.
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Bemidji never threatened, advancing only three runners to second base but no further. The Jacks went 0-4 with runners in scoring position.
A wild pitch, third strike opened the gates in the Brainerd first. Bronson Shepherd doubled in the first run, took third on Nate Smolke's single and scored on a wild pitch.
Smolke crossed on Kyle Crocker's ground out and singles by Des Janousek and Nick Rairdin around a stolen base made it 4-0.
The roof fell in the second as Brainerd ran home seven more.
Branum's single, a walk and an error loaded the bases with one gone.
One run crossed on a wild pitch and two walks forced in the second. Janousek singled in two more and ended Ryan Sullivan's stay on the hill.
Sol Schneider relieved and an error, Kyle Schaible's single and another wild pitch completed the carnage.
Another pair crossed in the third when Shepherd singled and completed his journey on two wild pitches and a ground out.
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Crocker doubled and scored on two more wild pitches.
Tom Jonsten eventually got the final two outs.
He gave up the final run in the fourth on an error, hit batter and two more wild pitches.
Shepherd and Janousek were the only Warriors with two hits. Brainerd managed only nine.
The three Jacks hurlers had three strikeouts.
Sullivan, Jon Clark and reserves Nate Blumhagen and Derek Lofgren had the Bemidji hits.
Bemidji is back on the diamond Monday facing Grand Rapids. Should the Rapids diamond not be playable, the game will be shifted to BSU.
The B Team also struggled dropping its opener 13-3 at the Forestview Middle School diamond.
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Details of that game are awaited.
Freshmen split
The Jacks freshmen made their debut dividing their twin bill.
Brainerd took the opener 10-6 rolling up a 10-2 lead after four, enough to withstand Bemidji's four-run fifth.
Miles Marcel and Duane Bubola combined on a six hitter, three by Jake Urban with Zach Solheim belting a triple in the fifth. Chase Vogt was the starter and loser for Bemidji.
Bemidji took the second game, shortened to four innings by darkness.
Bemidji again had only six hits with Urban getting two and Solheim belting another triple.
Kris Berndt hurled a one hitter to get the win.
The frosh face Grand Rapids in a single game Monday.
First Game
Bemidji 020-04--- 6--6--3
Brainerd 105-4x---10--5--0
Voigt (0-1), Solheim (3) and Lucas
Marcel, Bubola (4) and Louden
Second Game
Bemidji 022-5---9--6--0
Brainerd 010-0---1--1--3
Berndt (1-0) and Heifort
Lechman, Swenson (4) and Nicholson
