Box Score Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MINNEAPOLIS – After losing its head coach earlier in the day, the 14th-ranked St. Scholastica baseball team swept the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse by identical 6-3 scores at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

On Tuesday morning Head Coach John Baggs lost his four-month battle with cancer, but the team unanimously decided to go ahead and play the previously scheduled doubleheader.

CSS started game one off by scoring two runs in the top of the first. #Paul Kolodge# (Jr.-Cloquet, Minn.) doubled to right center to drive in #Sean Claugherty# (Jr.-Oakdale, Minn./Tartan) from first to make the score 1-0. #Jake Gaub# (Sr.-Inver Grove Heights, Minn./South St. Paul) followed with a single up the middle and Kolodge just beat the throw from the centerfielder to make the score 2-0.

After the Eagles went quietly in the bottom of the first, the Saints loaded the bases in the top of the second with All-American Sean Claugherty (Oakdale, Minn./Tartan HS) at the plate. Claugherty hit a hanging pitch hard, but right at the right fielder as the score remained 2-0.

That seemed to give momentum to La Crosse, because in the bottom half of the inning the Eagles would tie it up. Following a lead-off walk, Jay Fanta singled to center and a Saints fielding error would allow the runner to score all the way from the first to cut the lead to 2-1. Then with runners at the corners, CSS pitcher #Peter Burg# (Sr.-St. Joseph's, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) would catch the first base runner in a rundown and while that was happening the runner at third broke for home, but the Saints would cut him off at the plate to keep the score 2-1. However, later in the inning, the Eagles hit a sacrifice fly to center to tie it up.

St. Scholastica regained the lead in the top of the fifth when it was Claugherty that hit a RBI-single to left to plate #Brian Peterson# (So.-Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Hill-Murray) and make the score 3-2.The key moment of the game was the bottom of the fifth when with runners at first and second The Eagles' Storm Gram singled to center, but a great throw by Brian Peterson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) got the runner at the plate.. Burg then got the next batter to fly out to end the threat and keep the score at 3-2.

CSS broke it open with three runs in the sixth. The Saints began the inning with a lead-off walk and that was followed by a #Steve Gerten# (Jr.-St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley) ground-rule double to center to put runners at second and third. A #Kyle Wojtysiak# (Sr.-Proctor, Minn.) sacrifice fly to right scored #Joe Link# (So.-Woodbury, Minn.) to make it 4-2. Gerten then scored on a La Crosse error and Brian Peterson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) hit a RBI-double to left center to plate #Chad Peterson# (So.-New Brighton, Minn./St. Anthony Village) and make the score 6-2.

The Eagles picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth, but #Adian Kummet# (Sr.-Brainerd, Minn.) came in and pitched a 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to pick up his second save of the season as the Saints prevailed 6-3.

Peter Burg (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) improved to 2-0 on the mound as he pitched five innings and struck out three. Ross Benitz received the loss for the Eagles. Sean Claugherty (Oakdale, Minn./Tartan HS) and Steve Gerten (West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) were both 2-for-3 at the plate to pace the CSS offense.

In game two, the Saints fell behind early as with two outs in the top of the second, Lance Poppy hit a RBI-single to center to make it 1-0. Then again with two outs in the third Jay Fanta hit a two-run double to make it 3-0.

The Saints got one run back in the bottom of the third as Chad Peterson (New Brighton, Minn./St. Anthony Village HS) led off with a double and later scored on a passed ball. CSS then exploded in the fourth inning, scoring five runs. Brian Peterson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) and Kyle Wojtysiak (Proctor, Minn./Proctor HS) each had a two-RBI singles. Steve Gerten (West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) was also hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to force in the fifth run to make it 6-3.

Unfortunately for the Saints, with the length of the first game, play was halted in the middle of the sixth inning due to the time limit rules of the Metrodome with Saints up 6-3. Because the contest was not played in its entirety, it does not officially count. The Saints, who moved up to 14th in the first regular season D3basbeall.com poll that was released Tuesday, improve to 2-0 officially on the season.

The Saints will be at the Metrodome again on Sunday for a doubleheader showdown with 22nd-ranked University of St. Thomas. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.