Parker Meyers beats the throw from the catcher to the pitcher following a wild pitch during BEA’s baseball game against St. James. BEA batters walked seven times and were hit nine times in their 15-5 victory.

Blue Earth Area and Pipestone Area split a doubleheader when the two teams met on the baseball diamond at Veteran’s Field in Blue Earth on Monday, May 3.

The hometown Bucs took the opener 4-1 before the Arrows took the second game 2-0.

Pipestone Area scored their only run of the first game in the top of the first inning.

BEA tied the game in the bottom of the second. Logan O’Hara drew a base on balls and then stole second base. Kean Hicks came to the plate with two outs and quickly got down two strikes in the count before delivering a run-scoring double to tie the game 1-1.

The Bucs scored twice in the bottom of the third to take the lead.

Luke Schonborn had a lead-off double and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Keegan O’Brien. Adam Schavey was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Following a strikeout, Luke Mertens came to the plate and stroked a two-out double to left field to plate Schonborn and O’Brien and put the Bucs on top 3-1.

BEA added one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning. O’Hara doubled, moved to third on a dropped third strike and scored on a ground out by Hicks.

Anthony Carr worked the first six innings and was credited with the win. He allowed one run on three hits and walked three batters while striking out one.

Mertens had two doubles and two RBIs. Hicks had a double and two RBIs. O’Hara and Schonborn also doubled for the Bucs.

Pipestone Area 2, BEA 0

BEA was the visiting team on the scoreboard for the second game, which turned into a pitchers’ duel.

Parker Meyers started on the hill for the Bucs and did not allow a hit in three innings of work. He struck out four and issued five walks.

Taylor Davids came on in the bottom of the fourth. Davids, who was pitching in his first varsity game, kept the Arrows off the scoreboard in the fourth and fifth innings. However, in the sixth inning the Arrows led off with a double and the Bucs committed two errors which led to two unearned runs.

Pipestone Area pitcher Austin Johnson finished his complete-game masterpiece by retiring the Bucs in order in the top of the seventh inning to end the game.

Kean Hicks had the only hit of the game for BEA. Johnson walked three batters and struck out six.

“I tip my cap to our pitchers and fielders,” BEA head coach Todd Schmidtke said after the game. “We played 14 innings today and only allowed three runs. I also thought we hit the ball well in the first game.”

BEA’s overall record is 9-2 for the season.

BEA 15, St. James 5

Blue Earth Area and St. James each got the same number of hits when the two teams met in St. James on Friday, April 30, in a Big South Conference baseball game.

Both teams recorded seven base hits. However, BEA batters were also hit by pitches nine times and collected seven walks for a total of 16 free bases. The Bucs got a couple of timely hits and went on to defeat the Saints 15-5.

Anders Fering had the big hit for the Maroon and Gold. BEA had already scored one run in the top of the fourth inning when Luke Schonborn reached base on an error and came home on Keegan O’Brien’s RBI double. Adam Schavey singled to put runners on the corners.

The left-handed swinging Fering then hit a home run which was literally out-of-sight. Fering stroked the ball high into the air to right field. The right fielder appeared to be camping under the ball to make a catch. However, there was a problem, the ball did not come down, at least not where the right fielder was. The fans in the stands, who had to look into the sun to try and see the ball, never saw it either. The umpire covering the bases ran out to the outfield and eventually signaled it was a home run.

BEA led 7-4 after four innings and added two more runs in the fifth inning, five in the sixth and one in the seventh. St. James added one more run in the bottom of the fifth.

O’Brien pitched the first four innings and gave up four hits. He struck out one batter, walked one batter and hit two batters. He gave up four runs – zero earned – to pick up the win.

Logan O’Hara relieved O’Brien in the bottom of the fifth and allowed one earned run on three hits. He struck out four St. James batters, hit one batter but did not give up any walks.