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MOORHEAD -- Step one: Done.
The Bemidji American Legion baseball team took the first step in its Sub-State 14 Tournament run on Wednesday, knocking off East Grand Forks 10-7 in the opening round of postseason play.
The Centaurs (18-6-1) did most of their work in the fifth inning, in which they produced six runs to break free from a tie and build a commanding 8-2 advantage.
Dan Clusiau’s RBI single gave third-seeded Bemidji a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the third, but sixth-seeded EGF rallied to tie in the fifth with an RBI fielder’s choice.
Undeterred, the Centaurs rattled off six runs in the bottom half of the inning. Aaron Heger plated the go-ahead run with an RBI single, Cam Justice later scored on an error, and then Ethan Biehn doubled in two more when he cracked a hit to center field. Still not satisfied, Ben Corradi doubled in another two runs for the 8-2 cushion.
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East Grand Forks still made things interesting, scoring three runs in the sixth and twice more in the seventh. But Peyton Neadeau picked up a two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth for some insurance.
With the go-ahead run at the plate for EGF in the seventh, relief pitcher Hunter Brodina induced a flyout and a groundout to finish off the contest in the Centaurs’ favor.
Starter Ty Lundeen earned the win from the mound, going five innings and allowing four runs (three earned) off two hits while racking up seven strikeouts.
Bemidji now advances to the winners bracket semifinals. The Centaurs will play second-seeded Alexandria at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, back in Moorhead. Win or lose, Bemidji will then be off until Friday in the double-elimination bracket.
Bemidji 10, East Grand Forks 7
EGF 001 013 2 -- 7-5-2
BEM 101 062 X -- 10-11-3
WP: Lundeen (5 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K)
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S: Brodina
