Box Score ST. PAUL – For just the third time since 2003 and the first since 2006, the St. Scholastica baseball team finished unbeaten in conference play after defeating Northwestern College Sunday afternoon 12-4.
Today's contest was a make-up of the second game of doubleheader yesterday that was washed out due to rain. CSS was scheduled to play second-ranked University of St. Thomas this afternoon, but that contest was scrapped due to the Saints' rain out and also St. Thomas having to make-up a conference doubleheader of its own.
The Eagles (24-14, 15-6 UMAC) were the squad to take an early lead this afternoon, getting two runs across in the bottom of the first. However, that lead did not last long as the Saints would get five times that amount in the top of the second.
John Hietpas (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge HS ) and
Jesse Heaton (Heyworth, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic HS ) each had a pair of RBI singles in the inning.
Kyle Flagstad (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS),
Kyle Moody (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ),
Brandon Peterson (Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) and
Tom Juberian (Park Rapids, Minn./Park Rapids HS) also had RBI singles in the inning.
Jake Casareto (International Falls, Minn./Falls HS) added a RBI double as the Saints plated 10 in the inning to take a 10-2 lead.
After the Eagles hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second, Casareto recorded another RBI double in the third to make it 11-3.
Jon Kusch (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS ) drove in a run with a double in the fourth to complete the scoring for the Saints. Northwestern scored its last run in the bottom of the fourth to make the final score 12-4.
Michael Swenson (Scandia, Minn./Forest Lake HS) picked up the win in relief, striking out two and allowing just two hits in three innings.
Mickie Keuning (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Angelo State)) started and pitched the first three innings, scattering five hits.
The CSS offense finished with 20 hits with seven players recording two hits. The Saints have now won 30 games for the 14th straight season.
The Saints (30-9, 21-0 UMAC) will host the UMAC Tournament at Wade Stadium starting in Thursday. CSS still does not know who its opponent will be yet as rainouts have pushed games back to Monday afternoon. The Saints will either play Presentation College or Northland College at 1 p.m. Thursday. Northwestern will play Bethany Lutheran College at 10 a.m. to kick off the tourney.
