The Bemidji Mudcats rang down the curtain on their regular season this weekend, dropping a double header to unbeaten Duluth at Hermantown before dividing a pair at home Sunday with Nashwauk.
It dropped the Cats to 11-16 overall, 7-9 in the Arrowhead League.
They picked up a win when Hibbing forfeited its last win at Bemidji for use of an ineligible player
They open playoff action Friday at Grand Rapids against Nashwauk.
Sunday the Cats fell to Duluth 3-0 and 6-4.
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Joel Wourio spaced nine hits to take the opener. Bemidji never threatened seriously, advancing a runner to second with two gone in the sixth and another to third with one gone in the seventh. A double play ended that frame and the game.
Sam Martire allowed the Xpress just four hits, All three runs came in the sixth on an error, hit batter and three singles.
He fanned three and walked only one in falling to 2-3.
Dylan Webb and Brian Murphy had two Bemidji hits.
Jake Snyder went the route for the Xpress in the nightcap allowing eight hits.
Bemidji scored three in the first on Webb's single, two walks, a fielder's choice that got a force at the plate and singles by Neil Huewe and Brian Murphy.
Duluth got two back in the last of the frame on a walk and doubles by Parker Olson and Mike Houdek.
They tied the score in the second on a walk, ,wild pitch and Olson's one bagger
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Bemidji went ahead 4-3 in the fifth on a walk, Martire's single and an error.
Duluth took back the lead with twp in the fifth on an error, Houdek's single, a walk, balk and another error.
Duluth added one in the sixth on three walks and a wild pitch.
Olson had two of the four Duluth hits. Webb and Brian Murphy had two for the Mudcats.
Brian Murphy went the distance, dropping to 0-2, fanning six but walking nine.;
Sunday split
Bemidji's bats came alive in Sunday's opener, banging out 16 hits in a 20-5 decision.
Doug Peterson went the route for his fifth win, fanning three and walking two.
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Bemidji opened with five in the first and added three in the second and eight in the third, closing out the game in five.
Four of the losers runs came in the fourth when the issue was beyond hope
Matt Hietala had four hits, Webb and Tony Klaers three and Brian Murphy two with Murphy's including a two-run homer in the first.
Bemidji managed only three hits in the nightcap, however, against Jamie Fillman, scoring its only run in the sixth on a walk,, Brad Johnson's single and a sacrifice fly.
Nashwauk scored four runs off loser Matt Stasch with Kaleb Dingman working the final frame.
All four runs came in the fifth on only one hit, two walks and a pair of errors. They had only five hits, two by Fillman .
Saturday
First Game
Mudcats 000-000-0---0--9--1
Duluth 000-003-x---3--4--0
Martire (2-3) and Edholm
Wourlo and Farmer
Second Game
Mudcats 300-010-0---4--8--2
Duluth 210-021-X---6--4--1
B. Murphy (0-2) and Edholm
Snyder and Wourio
Sunday
First Game
Nashwauk 100-40---5--9---5
Mudcats 538-4x---20--16--2
DeIorio (l), Peratello (3), Denucci (3) and Curto
Peterson (5-1) and Edholm
Second Game
Nashwauk 000-040-0---4--5--2
Mudcats 000-001-0---1--3--3
Fillman and Fisher
Stasch (0-6), Dingman (7) and Bennett
