Bemidji Blue Ox Baseball Makes It to Final Weekend of State Tourney

Over the weekend, the Bemidji Blue Ox amateur baseball team kept their season alive with a 3-0 win over New York Mills in the round of 32 in the Class C state tournament.

The Blue Ox did so behind a phenomenal pitching performance by Ethan Opsahl from Ada, who threw a complete game shutout with 15 Ks.

The Ox opened scoring in the sixth on a Sam Kalberer chopper up the middle that scored Mitch Hendricks and Connor McNallan. Kalberer finished 3-4 with 2 RBIs. Later, Bemidji got an insurance run in the top of the eighth off a Caleb Manecke RBI single to left that scored McNallan, who led off the inning with a walk.

The Blue Ox now advance to the round of 16 and the final weekend of the state tournament. They are set to play the Waconia Lakers in Belle Plaine this Saturday, August 31st at 11 a.m.

A win would put Bemidji into the quarterfinals on Sunday morning. Semifinals would be later that evening, with the championship set for Monday afternoon.