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UMD sophomore Jason Baits dives to catch Drew Bauer pass beyond Northern State’s Channing Barber Saturday. Photo Credit: John Gilbert

Baits lands out of bounds, but leaves a track of the turf’s rubber base from the end zone across the end line for what should have been a touchdown. Photo Credit: John Gilbert

Jason Baits gives UMD quarterback Drew Bauer a proper arsenal whenever he wants to throw a pass. He can check off his preference of classes  of wide receivers – senior Beau Bofferding, junior Nate Ricci, or Baits, a talented sophomore.

When the Bulldogs whipped Northern State 39-19 last Saturday at homecoming, Ricci caught six passes for 146 yards, Baits caught four for 57 yards, and Bofferding three for 50 yards. Baits, however, should have had five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown, but for a combination of a quick officiating decision or the lack of instant replay. But the evidence comes from my trusty Leica lens and UMD’s artificial turf, which is made up of a base of tiny shredded rubber particles under the turf to cushion any falls.

Leading 8-7 late in the first quarter, UMD had first down at Northern’s 24-yard line and lofted a pass for Baits at the far end of the end zone. Baits ran under it. He made a full-length dive, making a remarkable catch moments before crashing to the turf. The official on the scene immediately waved off the touchdown, signalling Baits’s first step was out of bounds after the catch. It was. But the photo sequence shows Baits kept one foot on the turf as he dove. While he landed beyond the end line, a thin strip of disrupted rubber bits follow his foot, from the end zone turf onto the wide white strip that is the end line. Baits was well grounded as he made the catch.

It didn’t matter, because the Bulldogs scored shortly after the second quarter started, and never looked back during a 21-point second quarter that settled the issue. Bauer was 18-33 for 290 yards, and should have been 19-33 for 314 yards. With UMD rated 24th, Bemidji State is No. 21, and the Beavers – matching UMD at 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the northern half – come to Malosky Stadium Saturday for a 1 p.m. showdown with UMD.

Homecoming weekend was big and prosperous for the Bulldogs, who not only won their sixth straight football game and entered the national top 25 as the 24th ranked Division II team, but got a split with Notre Dame, winning 4-3 and dropping a 3-1 game, but moving up from No. 4 to No. 2 in the nation’s Division I hockey ratings in the process. UMD is behind only North Dakota, and ahead of Notre Dame – which moved from 5 to 3 – then Quinnipiac, Massachussetts-Lowell, Denver, Minnesota, Boston University, Minnesota State-Mankato, and Boston College.

UMD, of course, continues to be the nation’s No. 1 D-II volleyball team, running their season-opening record to 19-0 overall and 11-0 in the Northern Sun, going into Tuesday night’s encounter with St. Cloud State at Romano Gym. The Bulldogs defeated No. 13 Northern State 3-0 Friday, sweeping 25-23, 25-20, 25-15 games from the Wolves, then they returned to Romano Saturday afternoon to sweep MSU-Moorhead 25-17, 25-8, 25-16.

Five different Homecoming contests, five victories for UMD. Hard to beat that record, but the Bulldogs can try again this weekend.