I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
July 4, 1998
By Devlyn Brooks
If those who were at Lake Bemidji's waterfront Friday night would have looked attentively enough to the north, they might have seen fireworks a day earlier than the Fourth of July.
The Bemidji American Legion Centaurs celebrated Independence Day at the BSU baseball diamond last night ahead of schedule with some pyrotechnics of their own against neighboring Cass Lake American Legion. When the smoke cleared, Bemidji had 10-run-ruled Cass Lake in the sixth in the first of two games.
Although the young and inexperienced Cass Lake squad kept the game tight through four innings, Bemidji finally broke it open in the bottom of the fifth with five runs to put themselves ahead 10-3.
Cass Lake led only once in the game with 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the first inning, and thereafter Bemidji's pitchers cruised, allowing only three runs on six hits. Ryan Sweeney took the win, going three innings and allowing one run on one hit. Eric Scott and Byron Willard combined for the other three innings, allowing two runs and five hits between them.
Cass Lake jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when pitcher Curtis Jackson rounded third and Centaurs catcher Kevin Workman threw down to third but hit the runner in the back. The ball bounced off Jackson and scooted down the third base line, and he trotted home.
Bemidji rallied back in the bottom of the first with a run of their own when Mike Hiscock singled to get on base, and then advanced home on a stolen base and a Cass Lake error.
In the second, the Centaurs tallied three more runs with Scott getting on base with a walk and being driven home by a J.R. Bailey double. Bailey then advanced to third on a wild pitch and was called safe at home when Cass Lake catcher Toby Losh bobbled a fielder's choice toss from Jackson. On base because of the fielder's choice, Paul Winge also came home on a stolen base, an error and a wild pitch.
Scott was driven home for the second time of the night in the third by Bailey, who doubled to left center, and Bemidji led 5-1.
Cass Lake added its last two runs of the night in the fourth off of Bemidji's Scott, who gave up three hits and two walks facing seven batters. It would be his only inning of work.
The Centaurs battered Cass Lake in the fifth, sending eight men to the plate and bringing home five runs to make the score 10-3 after five. Cass Lake's Jackson was pulled from the mound after 4 1/3, and Kevin Erickson finished out the fifth. Bemidji's Fogelson, Scott, Winge, Neiman and Hiscock scored in the inning.
In the sixth, Bemidji would add three more runs on four hits and a walk to end the game with the 10-run rule.
With the win, Sweeney improved to 3-0 on the year, and Scott led the Centaurs with three hits. Bailey had two doubles.
Next week, the Centaurs face double-headers against Park Rapids Monday and Tri City of Blackduck Tuesday.
BEMIDJI (13) ab r h rbi e
Neiman 2b 3 3 0 0 0
Hiscock 3b 3 2 1 0 0
Ross dh 3 0 0 0 0
Marsolek cf 1 0 0 0 0
Willard cf 3 0 1 0 0
Workman c 4 1 2 0 1
M. Fogelson 1b 3 2 1 0 0
Scott lf 3 4 2 3 0
Bailey rf 3 1 2 2 0
Winge ss 4 2 2 2 1
CASS LAKE (3) ab r h rbi e
J. Johnson 2b 3 0 0 0 1
P. Johnson cf 3 0 0 0 0
Losh c 2 0 0 0 2
C. Jackson p 2 2 1 0 1
Erickson 1b 3 1 2 0 0
Lueck 3b 2 0 0 0 0
S. Jackson ss 3 0 1 2 2
Vail lf 0 0 0 0 0
Schmidt dh 3 0 1 0 0
2b- Workman, Bailey 2, Winge; SB- Hiscock, Ross, Marsolek, Fogelson 3, Scott 3, Winge; Sac- Scott; LOB: Bemidji 6, Cass Lake 8
Bemidji 131 053 X - 13 10 2
Cass Lake 010 200 X - 3 5 6
Pitching record ip r er h so bb
Sweeney 3 1 0 1 4 4
Scott 1 2 2 3 0 2
Willard 2 0 0 1 3 2
Comments