MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Aberdeen Smittys got off to a rough start to begin the Gopher Classic on Friday morning. Bemidji scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning on the way to an 11-3 American Legion baseball victory.

Bemidji scored five times before an out was recorded to set the tone for the contest. The Minnesota squad had a triple and a double, followed by a hit batter, two more singles, a walk, a passed ball and a wild pitch, before a ground out provided the first out and yet another run.

The Smittys got one back in the top of the second after Lance Siefken doubled, took third on a passed ball, and then scored on a ground out from Ridley Waldo.

Bemidji doubled that with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Smittys then left two runners on in the third, before Bemidji put up three more runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Aberdeen closed out the scoring with a pair of runs in the fifth inning.

Joe Cogley and Karson Borge started the inning with walks before Jehiel Aviles singled. Cogley scored on a ground out and Borge crossed the plate on an RBI single from Siefken.

Aberdeen had just two less hits in the contest, but was unable to overcome Bemidji’s big first inning.

Siefken finished with three hits, drove in a run, and also scored a run.

The Smittys will take on Hamline at 9 this morning, and Plover at 2 this afternoon.

Aberdeen Smittys 010 02 – 3 6 0

Bemidji 623 0x – 11 8 0

Michael Dutenhoffer, Jaxon Ladner (2), Ridley Waldo (3) and Levi Hoffman; Jack Lundquist, K. Brown (3), and player not available (4) and Gunner Ganske. 2B – Aberdeen Smittys, Lance Siefken; Bemidji, Fisher Ganske, G. Ganske. 3B – Bemidji, F. Ganske.