DULUTH, Minn. – The 22nd-ranked St. Scholastica baseball team will begin its 2010 season tomorrow night when it faces Hamline University for a doubleheader on Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
The Saints will be looking for their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance this season. In a bit of a surprise, CSS was not picked to win the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC), according to the preseason coaches' poll that was released last week.
Offensively, the Saints return their top five hitters and top seven run producers from last season. Honorable mention D3baseball.com preseason All-American first baseman #Sean Claugherty# (
Sr.-Oakdale, Minn./Tartan) is back. Claugherty led the team with 53 hits in 2009, even though he was walked a team-high 44 times. The 44 walks were the fourth-most in NCAA Division III last year.
Third team All-Midwest Region selection #Brian Marshik# (
Jr.-Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View) enters his junior season after leading the team with a .431 batting average. The team's top run producer, #Paul Kolodge# (
Sr.-Cloquet, Minn.) also returns after driving in 54 runs and belting a team-high four home runs last season.
As far as pitching, the Saints enter the 2010 season with uncertainties. With the graduation of Cincinnati Reds farmhand
Adian Kummet (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd HS) and
Peter Burg (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) now an assistant coach on the team, the Saints will need to find some stability at the top of its pitching staff. #Steve Gerten#
(Sr.-West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley) will lead the staff after going 5-1 last season in eight starts. #Jeff Adams# (
Sr.-Two Harbors, Minn.) will also get his fair share of starts on the mound this season after being the team's closer last season. #Josh Retka# (
Jr.-Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) and #Matt Lewis#
(Jr.-Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) will need to step up on the mound. The two went a combined 8-2 last season.
The Saints brought in their largest recruiting class in program history and will be looking for some to contribute right of way, especially in the pitching rotation.
The first game is scheduled to begin at 9:45 p.m. All of the action can be heard on ESPN radio 560-WEBC.
