Notables
-Both CSS and UNW are 11-1 in the UMAC
-First time CSS has lost multiple home games in a week since 2009
-First UMAC regular season home loss since that same 2009 season (4-3 vs. Martin Luther) - streak of 46 games
-A. Colvard's reached base safely streak ends at 36 games in game two
-The loss to Northwestern in the second game was the first UMAC loss of the season and the first since April 4 of last season.
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team split a pair of Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) games against rival University of Northwestern in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Wade Stadium. The Saints took the first game 9-1 and fell in the second 5-4.
Game One: CSS 9, UNW 1
The Eagles got the scoring started in the second inning, as a leadoff hit batsman came around to score on a sacrifice fly to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. However, the Saints responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs on four hits. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for
Jake Kuschke (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS ), who smacked a two-RBI double to center, scoring
Trevor Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood HS ) and
Sam Christofferson (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ).
Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS ) followed that up with a single to score
Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn. /Mankato West HS) and advance Kuschke to third.
Austin Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) then singled to center to wrap up the scoring, bringing home Kuschke to give the Saints a 4-1 lead through two innings.
The Saints tacked on another four runs in the fourth, as Kuschke hit another double to center to bring Wollenzien home, as he singled in the previous at-bat. A. Colvard then tripled to center to score Kuschke from first to bring the score to 6-1, and he quickly came home to score as
Al Marolt (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) singled up the middle. For the final RBI of the inning,
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) doubled down the left field line to score Marolt and give CSS an 8-1 advantage through four innings. The Saints would tack on an insurance solo home run by
Sam Christofferson (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ) in the seventh to bring the final score to 9-1.
Isaac Rocha (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna HS) received credit for the win, throwing four scoreless relief innings for CSS. Eagles' pitcher Erik Nyquist was assessed the loss, giving up eight runs in four innings of work.
Game Two: UNW 5, CSS 4
In the second game of the doubleheader, Northwestern struck first again, scoring the first run of the contest on three singles and a sacrifice fly.to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Saints responded with a nearly identical bottom of the second, scoring an unearned run on three singles as well. Christofferson was the leadoff man in the inning, who came around to score following a
Haydn Lanoue (Rosemount, Minn. /Rosemount HS ) single and a fielding error. CSS then took a 2-1 lead early in the third inning, as
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) tripled to left and came home on a Steven Neutlzling sacrifice fly.
Neither team was able to muster any offense until the sixth, where Northwestern took a 5-2 lead. The Eagles scored four runs on four hits, stringing together three singles, a double and a walk to regain the lead. The Saints cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, as
Sam Christofferson (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ) walked to lead things off, and came home on a Lanoue double later in the inning.
Down 5-3 heading into the eighth inning, St. Scholastica led the inning off with a
Trevor Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood HS ) single to center. Christofferson followed up with a single of his own, and a fielding error allowed Bernsdorf to score. Christofferson advanced to second, giving St. Scholastica a man on second with no outs. However, the Saints were unable to take full advantage of the error with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout. That is how the ninth would go as well for the Saints with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to end the game 5-4 in favor of Northwestern.
The victory by the Eagles snaps a 72-game losing streak to the Saints.
Tucker Morrell was credited with the win for the Eagles, giving up three runs in six innings while scattering 11 hits,
Martin Alcoverde (Tucson, Ariz. /Sahuarita HS (Mesabi Range CC)) received the loss for CSS, striking out eight in 5.2 innings of work, but allowing nine hits and five runs.
Up Next
CSS (21-9) will look to rebound from the loss tomorrow, as the Saints take on Carleton College in a non-conference contest at Wade Stadium at 1 p.m. Live coverage can be found on Saints Sports Net.
