DULUTH, Minn. – After a one-year hiatus, the 14th-ranked St. Scholastica baseball team will return to the Metrodome and Mall of America Field to open up its season against regional rival University of St. Thomas for a doubleheader on Monday evening for a doubleheader. 

Game Time:
Monday – 5 p.m. (Doubleheader)

GameDay Media:
Live Video

#14 St. Scholastica Saints (2011 Record: 37-7, 20-1 UMAC)
Last year when the Saints opened their season in St. Louis, due to the dome collapse, was the first time the Saints did not open the season at Mall of America Field since the 1999 season … The 37 wins in 2011 tied for the second-highest total in program history when CSS was affiliated as a NCAA Division III program … The Saints are coming off their second NCAA Regional Tournament final appearance in the last four years, both times losing in Whitewater to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater … Also during those runs the Saints ended St. Thomas' season at the regional … St. Scholastica, who has won 15 straight UMAC regular season titles and 14 consecutive tournament titles, gained the conference's first automatic qualifier last season by a dominating performance in the UMAC Tournament Championship, defeating Bethany Lutheran 26-2 … CSS led all of NCAA baseball last year in scoring, averaging 9.3 runs per game … They also ranked in the top 10 in total runs scored (3rd), batting average (4th), earned run average (4th), doubles (6th) and sacrifice flies (7th) … High expectations have been put on the Saints this season nationally as they have their highest preseason-ranking in the D3baseball.com poll at No. 14 and have been picked by D3baseball.com to come out of the Midwest Regional … The Saints return 2011 UMAC Player of the Year and second team All-Midwest Region catcher Kyle Moody (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ) … Another second team all-region choice, first baseman Brandon Peterson (Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) is also back as is third team all-region outfielder Kyle Flagstad (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS) … Question marks leading into the season include, who will replace graduated senior Matt Lewis (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep), who led the pitching staff last season … Returners Kyle Jensen (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake HS) and Andy Davis (Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell HS ) came up big in the regional tournament last season and both will look to carry that experience with them into this year … Along with Jensen, David Vogelgesang (Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) was a first team All-UMAC selection last season … The Saints also have Jake Nystrom (Fargo, N.D./Fargo North HS), who has been the team's closer the last couple of seasons, but expect to see Nystrom get some starts this year … New arms that will most likely see a lot of time during the course of the season, include Duluth East grads Mickie Keuning (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Angelo State)) and Zack Farmer (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) … Another question mark will be defensively as the Saints lost middle infielders Chad Peterson (New Brighton, Minn./St. Anthony Village HS) and Brian Marshik (Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS ) and centerfielder Joe Link (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury HS) … Jake Casareto (International Falls, Minn./Falls HS) will make the move for third to shortstop this season … At second base, look to see junior Andy Schwantes (Lakeville, Minn./Apple Valley HS (Minn.-Duluth)) get a lot of time … At third base, Jensen will see time as will freshmen John Hietpas (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge HS ) and Jesse Heaton (Heyworth, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic HS ) … With the second-largest recruiting class in program history brought in by head coach Corey Kemp, the Saints will be just as deep as they ever have been at just about every position … Earlier this week, the Saints were once again picked to win the UMAC, according to the preseason coaches' poll … The Saints are 27-8 in the Metrodome since 2004.

St. Thomas Tommies (2011 Record: 28-18, 16-4 MIAC)
The Tommies got off to a slow start in 2010, dropping 10 of their first 14 games … However, after getting swept by Hamline, St. Thomas turned it on, winning 17 of their next 18 games to clinch a share of the MIAC regular season title … However, the Tommies would lose in the MIAC Tournament Championship game to the Pipers, but still did enough to get an at-large bid … It was the Tommies' 16th trip to the NCAA Regional in the last 17 years … The Tommies lost senior all-region players Kris Edwards, Taylor Rahm and Drew Cremisino, along with gold-glover Drew McQuillan …  However, the Tommies do return all-region catcher J.D. Dorgan and second baseman Charles Bruchu … Dorgan became the first St. Thomas freshman position player in 30 years to make the All-MIAC team and also was named Conference Rookie of the Year … Bruchu hit safely in seven of eight postseason games and had 19 hits and 12 runs in 15 May games … He had only one error in his last 92 defense chances covering the last 24 games … As a team the Tommies were 17th in nation in fielding percentage in 2011 … On the mound left-hander Bryce Gapinski returns for his senior season … Gapinski was a first team All-MIAC selection a season ago and went 7-2 with a 3.22 earned run average … Right-handed pitcher John Licht and lefty Zach Franz are also back … Both won three games last season … The Tommies are just outside the D3baseball.com preseason poll.

Last Meeting: (CSS All-Time Record vs. St. Thomas: 14-19)
The Saints won all three games against the Tommies last season. It was the first time in the series' history CSS has won three consecutive games against St. Thomas.