SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Concordia-St. Paul (8-6, 1-1 NSIC) opened Northern Sun play by splitting a pair of close games against Bemidji State (10-8, 1-1) on Friday night at Karras Park on the campus of Augustana College. The Golden Bears dropped game one 2-0 in 10 innings before picking up a 5-4 win in the second game.

GAME 1: Bemidji State 2, Concordia 0 (10 innings)
The opener of a four game series was played in 60-plus degree temperatures with a 20-plus mile per hour wind from the south. The opener of a league doubleheader is a 7-inning game by NSIC rules, but an extra inning contest shortens the second game from nine to seven innings.

The two teams couldn't settle it in that regular 7-inning duration, however, as the pitching and defense was superb.

Concordia junior right hander Adam Kramer (Wausau, Wis.) went the first seven innings, scattering six hits and a pair of walks while striking out four. Once again unscathed, his ERA dropped to 1.50 on the year. He did not factor into the decision with his evening ending after 83 pitches.

Bemidji State's starter, Phil Bray, went eight shutout innings allowing just three hits but walking six. He was missing bats all night, striking out 13 Golden Bears while throwing 137 pitches in the series opener.

Concordia's defense was making plays early, with center fielder Greg Larpenter (Urbandale, Iowa) throwing out Joey Hanowski at third base in the second inning on Jack Hegarty's one-out single for the second out. In the first inning, it was an inning-ending double play turned by freshman Eric Fasnacht (Eden Prairie, Minn.).

In the third, senior catcher Jared Kramer (Wausau, Wis.) threw out Bemidji State leadoff hitter Chad Hanson stealing at second base for the second out.

In the sixth, A.Kramer left a runner stranded on third base before leaving a runner on second in the seventh inning.

With six walks, Concordia had its chances offensively as well. The first inning ended with a strike out-throw out double play and the second inning ended with a runner on third base for the Golden Bears after a double play with runners on first and second.

Concordia left the bases loaded with three walks in the third, striking out for all three outs.

In the middle innings, Concordia's bats went silent, with just a one-out single in the fifth inning in between Bray retiring the other 13 batters he faced from the end of the third to the leadoff man of the eighth inning.

In Bray's eighth and final inning, the Golden Bears drew a pair of walks but left two aboard.

The starters out, it was left to the bullpens. Concordia brought in senior left hander Griff Kilber (Chanhassen, Minn.), who worked the final three innings. Kilber allowed the game winning homer in the top of the 10th inning following a one-out walk. The homer, to ninth batter Lewis Baumann, was a strong shot directly into the wind to left center. Kilber had been sharp in the first two innings of relief, allowing just a single, before taking the loss in the 10th.

Bemidji State's Ryan Brezinski worked two perfect frames with two strikeouts for his second win of the year.

The Golden Bears struck out 15 times while managing just three hits against the BSU tandem. Concordia's offensive highlight came from the bottom of the order as senior Paul Giel III (Minnetonka, Minn.) was 1-2 with a pair of walks.

GAME 2: Concordia 5, Bemidji State 4
Bemidji State carried the momentum from the extra inning win into the shortened 7-inning second game. The Beavers scored a pair of unearned runs against senior right hander Andy Fagely (Mahtomedi, Minn.) in the top of the first inning.

Concordia responded in the bottom of the inning as Giel led off with a double and moved up and scored on grounders. Concordia tied the game in the second inning with another manufactured run as senior Mick Sawinski (St. Louis Park, Minn.) led off with a walk, moved to second on T.J. Obermeyer (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) base hit and scored on a wild pitch.

In the third, Concordia took its first lead of the series when Drew Turk (Plainfield, Ill.) delivered an RBI single to center scoring Kyle Dalton (Minnetonka, Minn.).

The game remained 3-2 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Conor McDougall (Victoria, B.C.) placed a two-run homer over the right field fence to extend Concordia's lead to 5-2. It was McDougall's first homer as a Golden Bear and the first official home run of the season for Concordia.

Fagely came in for the seventh inning and retired the first batter before giving up a solo homer to Baumann (his second of the night). BSU followed with a single and RBI double to cut the margin back to a run, 5-4.

Fagely would leave the game with the lead but with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run at the plate.

Redshirt freshman Tyler Brekke (Lakeville, Minn.) came in to close, and after hitting his first batter, struck out BSU's clean-up hitter Jaryd Marks. He retired his former high school catcher, Zach Braun, on a ground out fielder's choice to close the door.

Brekke picked up his second save in just his second appearance on the year while Fagely improved to 3-0. Fagely worked 6.1 innings, allowing four runs (two earned). He struck out four without issuing any walks.

Larpenter and Obermeyer each went 2-3 at the plate in the game, with Larpenter and Giel each delivering their second double of the season.

The two teams complete the four game series with a doubleheader tomorrow at 5:30 at Augustana's Karras Park.