FERGUS FALLS -- Aaron Heger kept batters guessing as he recorded 17 strikeouts in a 3-1 road victory for the Bemidji High School baseball team over Fergus Falls.
The senior pitched a complete game and conceded only one run on four hits to earn the win in the Lumberjacks’ regular-season finale. Heger held the Otters (4-13) without a hit through the first 5 2/3 innings after allowing only two baserunners on a walk in the second and a hit by pitch in the fifth.
The first four innings elapsed with zeros on the scoreboard as Fergus Falls starter Abel Aho held BHS to only three hits through four frames.
Isaiah Biehn produced the first run on his RBI single in the fifth to lift the Jacks to a 1-0 lead.
Ian Stumbo broke up Heger’s no-hitter with two outs in the sixth, the first of four consecutive singles for the Otters. Arik Heacox singled to center to level the score on the inning’s third single. Aho loaded the bases on his bunt single before Heger issued a timely strikeout to end the threat.
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Soon after, Bemidji regained the lead by scoring twice with two outs in the top of the seventh.
Josh Nyberg bunted and reached on a fielder’s choice before Fergus recorded the second out of the inning a batter later. Having advanced to third, pinch-runner Will Zellman scored on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run. Ethan Biehn then singled and scored on an error to bring the game to its final score.
Heger retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to complete his 17-strikeout outing.
Heger, Nyberg, Ethan Biehn, Isaiah Biehn, JD Kondos and Parker Mistic each registered one of the Lumberjacks’ six hits.
Bemidji ends its regular season with a 14-6 record and a four-game win streak.
Seedings for the Section 8-3A playoffs will be released Saturday, May 29.
Bemidji 3, Fergus Falls 1
BHS 000 010 2 -- 3-6-0
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FF 000 001 0 -- 1-4-3
WP: Heger (CG, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 17 K, 1 BB)
LP: Aho (CG, 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 5 K, 1 BB)
