BEMIDJI, Minn. – A little late game magic on offense spurred the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (9-14, 7-7 NSIC) to a road sweep over Bemidji State (9-17, 7-7 NSIC) in NSIC action on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars used an eight-run seventh inning to rally for a 13-6 game one victory. Then, USF broke an 8-8 tie with two runs in the eighth inning of game two for a 10-9 win.

With the sweep, the Cougars improved to 9-14 overall and 7-7 in the NSIC. Interestingly USF has split each of its four NSIC series this season. With the two wins today, USF has won seven of its last 12 games.

Last weekend, the Cougars' pitching staff came up big. On Sunday, the USF offense broke out in a big way with a .405 average with 32 hits on 79 at bats and 23 runs scored. For the second time this season, the Cougars scored double digits runs, producing a .494 slugging percentage and .473 OBP on the day. In addition, the Cougars had six stolen bases.

Leading the way was sophomore first baseman Josh Rehwaldt, who was 5-of-6 for an .833 average with six runs and six RBI while walking five times and reaching base an incredible 10 times in 11 plate appearances. Gunner Peterson had four hits in seven at bats while hitting a grand slam. Senior outfielder Trevor Crow hit .545 with six hits in 11 at bats with three runs and two RBI. In addition, Anthony Lopez came off the bench to produce three hits in five at bats with two RBI while Brent Jarvis had three hits and two walks while knocking home two RBI and scoring three runs.

While USF had a 7.31 ERA, several pitchers came up huge, including Chris Thompson (1-2), the game one winner, who shut down BSU in the seventh inning in game one for his first win. Stuart Maes worked 2 1/3 innings in game two to move to 2-2 on the season.

G1 – USF 13 BSU 6 (7 innings)
In the opener, USF, which has won three league games in its final at-bat, did it again on Sunday by rallying for a 13-6 come-from-behind victory in seven innings. The 13 runs tied a season high (15-13 loss to St. Cloud State, March 19) but was a season-best in a win.

Dylan Gavin's RBI single tied the game and then Peterson's first-career grand slam pushed USF into the lead in a convincing matter at 10-6 in the seventh inning. In that frame, the Cougars recorded its biggest run total of the season, scoring eight runs on eight hits and two walks with a stolen base. With 16 total hits, USF tied a season-high (Nebraska-Kearney, 11-7 win over March 13).

In the bottom half, Chris Thompson (1-2) closed out BSU a near perfect inning as just one runner reached (error) as he earned his first win of the season. Mitchell Lyall helped USF out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth when he coaxed Logan Reidel into a ground out with the bases full and USF down 6-5.

Starter Zak Wallner worked four innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits with a walk and a strikeout. Cody Blackwell took over in the fifth inning for USF and threw 1 2/3 innings of two-hit relief. He allowed two hits, walked two and strikeout a pair.

The USF's offense was led by Rehwaldt, who was 3-of-3 with a two-run HR and a career-best six RBI. Peterson was 3-of-4 with a grand slam among his three hits. Rob Johnson broke out of a slump with two hits and two stolen bases while Crow added three hits, an RBI and run scored in three trips to the plate. Jarvis had a hit, three runs scored and reached bases four times. Jack Wittwer (0-3) took the loss for BSU as he allowed five hits and six runs in 1/3 of an inning. Logan Reidel had a two-run homer for BSU who had two hits from Ben Boser and Scott Litchy.

The Cougars broke out quickly in game one as Jarvis led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Rehwaldt's RBI single. In the third, the Cougars added three more as a result of Rehwaldt's first home run of the season, a three run shot for a 4-0 lead.

BSU answered in the bottom of the fourth inning with five runs, including a two-run home run by Logan Reidel and a sacrifice fly, suicide squeeze and error.
The Cougars tied the game with a two-out rally as Peterson and Johnson singled with Peterson later scoring on a passed ball.

With two out in the bottom of the sixth, Ben Boser hit a run-scoring double which scored Kai Haake, who had walked for a 6-5 lead. Then in the bottom half, USF rallied and ended a three-game losing streak with its biggest offensive effort of the season.

G2 – USF 10 BSU 9 (9 innings)
After trailing early, the Cougars broke from an 8-8 tie with a pair of runs in the eighth inning on RBI base hits from Anthony Lopez and Cole Sweeney for a 10-8 lead. Stuart Maes closed it out for USF with 2 1/3 innings of one hit relief (one run) as he improved to 2-2 on the season.

USF's offense was led by Crow with three hits in six at bats and an RBI. Lopez came off the bench to provide a lift with three hits, three runs scored and two RBI. Griffing-Jarvis had two hits as did Rehwaldt, Merriam and Sweeney.

Gavin started for USF and worked five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with a strikeout. Dan Johnson entered the game in the sixth inning. Dan Johnson entered the game in the sixth and allowed three hits and a run in 2/3 of an inning. Freshman Jackson Olson finished the inning and worked one inning overall with just one hit allowed and two runs (one earned) with two walks. Maes took over for Olson in the seventh and finished.

Wil Thurston (0-1) took the loss in relief of starter Ryan Fransen, who allowed 11 hits and seven runs (four earned) in six innings of work. Scott Litchy led BSU with three hits. Haake and Isaiah Grancorvitz hit home runs.

BSU jumped on top first in game two, with a pair of runs off Gavin in the third inning. The Cougars rallied in the fourth inning, putting up a four-spot. With an RBI single from Lopez and a sacrifice fly Connor Merriam & Rob Johnson, the Cougars erased a two-run deficit and took a 4-2 lead.

After the Beavers tied the game in the fourth inning, Crow had an RBI single to plate Rehwaldt for a 5-4 lead. With two out in the sixth inning, Jarvis added a two-run single for a 7-4 advantage.

BSU answered with two runs in the sixth on home runs by Grancorvitz and Haake. In the top of the seventh, the Cougars built an 8-6 lead when Durkin drew an RBI walk to bring home Lopez, who had singled earlier in the inning.  In the bottom of the seventh inning, BSU tied the game at 8-8 with the aid of three walks, error and a base hit.

In the back and forth affair, USF took a 10-8 lead on two-out RBI singles by Lopez and Rehwaldt in the eighth inning. When Maes closed out the Beavers in the ninth inning, the Cougars had their second straight victory.