MINOT, ND - The Minot State Beavers baseball team is set to return home to Corbett Field for a midweek NSIC doubleheader as they host Bemidji State University for the battle of the beavers on Tuesday, April 29, in Minot, North Dakota. First pitch for game one is slated for 12:00 pm, with the second game to follow shortly after the completion of the opener.
The Beavers (16-28 overall, 10-25 NSIC) head into the twin bill after wrapping up a road series against St. Cloud State University over the weekend. Meanwhile, Bemidji State (5-37 overall, 4-31 NSIC) enters the matchup following their own NSIC weekend action against Concordia-St. Paul. Minot State and Bemidji State have a long history of competitive matchups, with the Beavers holding the edge in the all-time series holding a 16-15 record.
Minot State continues to be led offensively by key contributors such as
Connor Hill (.333 AVG),
Brent Riddle (.329 AVG), and
Oscar Pegg (.314 AVG), who have anchored the lineup throughout the season. The Beavers boast a team batting average of .294 and an OPS of .811, while having launched 41 home runs so far this year.
Bemidji State counters with their top 3 hitters being Matt Filippi (.308 AVG), Beau Thoma (.273 AVG), and Zach Evenson (.267 AVG), helping the team post a team batting average of .220 and an OPS of .653 with 29 home runs this season.
On the mound, Minot State will rely on pitchers such as
Connor Hill (4.11 ERA),
Noah Balandran (5.40 ERA), and
Gage Eastlick (6.17 ERA), with
Ayden Sauerbrei continuing to lead the bullpen in saves with 4. As a unit, the Beavers' pitching staff enters the series with a team ERA of 8.24 and an opponent batting average of .333.
The Bemidji State pitching staff is anchored by Connor Donlin (5.29 ERA), Brandon Lind (5.40 ERA), and Zach Evenson (6.14 ERA), entering Tuesday's games with a team ERA of 10.82 and opponents hitting .355 against them.
Following the midweek doubleheader with Bemidji State, Minot State will prepare for their final NSIC series of the regular season against Augustana on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3 at home at Corbett Field. Game one and two are scheduled for Friday, May 2, with game one beginning at 4:00 pm and game two to follow. The final game of the series is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, at 1:00 pm. The Beavers will also be celebrating Senior Day and Autograph Day on Saturday, May 3.
