Bemidji Centaurs Secure Second Place at Alexandria Baseball Tournament

ALEXANDRIA — The Bemidji American Legion baseball team rebounded from a tough start to the season by securing three consecutive victories over the weekend at an Alexandria tournament. After a disappointing loss to Moorhead, the Centaurs showcased their talent by defeating both Minnewaska and Tri-City Blue with identical 9-1 scores on Friday, followed by a thrilling win against Sartell on Saturday.

The Centaurs initiated their successful run with a commanding performance against Minnewaska. Bemidji took an early lead with a run from Gunner Ganske's RBI double in the first inning, then exploded for six runs in the second. James Garrison's stolen home plate and Brennen Brower's two-RBI double propelled the score to 4-0. The team ended the inning at 7-0 after two more runs scored from Garrison's single, ultimately winning the game 9-1.

Continuing their momentum, the Centaurs faced Tri-City Blue and capitalized on their opponents' errors. Bemidji scored three runs in the first inning, followed by an RBI double from Garrison that pushed the score to 4-0. The team added three more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to secure another 9-1 victory, with Ganske allowing just an unearned run in the third inning.

Saturday's matchup against Sartell was a nail-biter that extended into extra innings. After falling behind 2-0, the Centaurs rallied back when Brodina hit a two-run homer in the seventh, tying the game. In the eighth, Sartell managed to score again, but the Centaurs responded with a key single from Kash Rasmus, followed by Ganske’s walk-off RBI single, sending Bemidji to the championship game.

In the tournament final on Sunday, the Centaurs held a 2-1 lead entering the sixth inning, but Alexandria came back with three runs to secure a 4-2 victory. Despite a strong tournament showing, Bemidji finished as the runner-up, marking a significant improvement after their earlier struggles this season.