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WHITEWATER, Wis. – The St. Scholastica baseball team staved off elimination on Thursday by knocking off top-seeded and sixth-ranked University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 3-2, at the NCAA Regional Tournament on Prucha Field at James B. Miller Stadium.

The Pointers (33-9) hit the Saints early as a single and a ground-rule double led off the game. Justin Jirschele followed with a sacrifice fly to put UWSP up 1-0. Kyle Jensen (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake HS) then recorded a strikeout and after loading the bases, another strikeout to get out of the jam.

CSS (36-6) got off to a much better start at the plate than it did against Hamline yesterday. Brian Marshik (Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS ) walked to lead off. The next batter, Joe Link (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS), doubled to put runners at second and third. The Pointers then tried to pickoff Link at second, but the throw got away and Marshik scored. Kyle Moody (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ) later put the Saints on top 2-1 on a RBI groundout.

In the top of the fourth, the Pointers loaded the bases with one out. Jirschele flied out to left and Scott Greening (Antigo, Wis./Antigo HS (Mesabi CC)), who moved to left at the beginning of the fourth, threw out Kevin Thomas at the plate to end the inning.

The Saints added to their lead in the seventh. Chad Peterson (New Brighton, Minn./St. Anthony Village HS) led off with a single and then moved to second on a sacrifice. After a walk, Tom Juberian (Park Rapids, Minn./Park Rapids HS) singled to left to score Peterson to make it 3-1. Link stole third later in the inning, but would be stranded.

Jensen was still moving along in the eighth before he put Pointers at first and second by way of the hit by pitch. Jake Nystrom (Fargo, N.D./Fargo North HS) entered and got the final out of the inning on a pop out to the catcher.

In the ninth, UWSP had a two-out RBI single from Jordan Rennicke to cut the margin to 3-2. The rally was short-lived as Nystrom induced the next batter to groundout to end the game and keep the season alive.

Jensen improves to 4-2 on the year and struck out five, while scattering nine hits in 7.2 innings pitched. This was Jensen's second win this season at Prucha Field. Nystrom earns his fifth save of the season. Joel Delorit, who had defeated the Saints in the last two NCAA Regionals, picked up the loss for Stevens Point. Link had two of CSS's seven hits.

The Pointers will now face the loser of the Hamline University, UW-Whitewater contest tomorrow at 10 a.m. The Saints move on to face the University of St. Thomas tomorrow at 1 p.m. The Tommies eliminated Aurora University (Ill.) with an 8-3 victory in the first game today.