ST. CLOUD, Minn. (Faber Field) -- Senior Collin Eckman capped a five-hit game two for Bemidji State University with a game-winning single in extra innings to complete a sweep over No. 25 St. Cloud State University Thursday at Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minn. BSU (19-29, 16-20 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) extended its win streak to six games with 3-2 and 10-6 wins against SCSU (34-14, 25-11 NSIC).

BSU moved up from 12th to ninth in the NSIC standings following the games and is sitting behind University of Minnesota Crookston for the final spot of the conference post-season tournament.

Game One
Sophomore Gunner Oslzewski opened the top of the second inning with BSU’s second leadoff hit, this time a triple with no outs. Olszewski’s potential go-ahead run was called out at the plate on a fielder’s choice, but senior Duane Miller came through on the next at-bat with an RBI double to score senior Ryan Rumpca from first. SCSU tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single. The Huskies then scored the go-ahead run in the third inning after leading off with a double.

Junior Scott Litchy doubled in the sixth inning to set up the game-tying run as Olszewski recorded his second extra-base hit of the day to drive in Litchy. Miller followed two batters later with an RBI single to score Olszewski and the game-winning run.

Junior pitcher Connor McNallan (3-5) threw a complete game win with two earned runs allowed on seven hits with five strikeouts. Huskies pitcher Dominic Austing (6-4) took the loss after going 6.0 innings with three earned runs allowed on eight hits with six strikeouts.

Game Two
Senior Collin Eckman and Litchy each reached base with one out to begin game two while Olszewski recorded a two-RBI single to give Bemidji State an early 2-0 lead. St. Cloud State went on top in the bottom of the fourth inning with five runs on a walk, three singles, including two RBI hits, and a RBI double.

Senior Cole Easley doubled with one out in the eighth inning to set up Bemidji State’s go-ahead run. With his third hit of the day, Eckman singled to bring Easley home and put BSU on top. 6-5. St. Cloud State tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with two one-out doubles, the second sending the game to extra innings at 6-6.

Eckman came through in the top of the 12th inning with the game-winning RBI, a single to drive in senior Logan Riedel. Junior Kai Haake later stole home followed by a two-RBI single by Miller to push BSU’s win to 10-6.

Riedel (4-4) entered to pitch the final 3.2 innings and kept the Huskies without a run or hit with three strikeouts. SCSU pitcher Kyle Boser (1-1) took the loss after allowing the four BSU runs in the 12th inning.

Bemidji State and St. Cloud State move to Bemidji, Minn., to close out the four-game series and regular season. The Beavers and Huskies begin game one at 4 p.m. from BSU Baseball Field.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

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