Notables-CSS left a season-high 15 runners on base-The 15 CSS runs are the most in back-to-back losses since the 2003 season -The Saints opened their trip with a 3-1 victory over the Lions on Sunday
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team dropped its second straight game on Friday, rallying from five runs down to tie the game, only to relinquish it right back and nearly rally again in a 9-8 loss to Penn State-Behrend.
The Saints fell behind early as the Lions had four straight batters reach base with one out to add one run and then added a sacrifice fly to take a 2-0 lead after only a half inning. CSS got a runner to third with no outs in the bottom frame, but a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts ended the threat.
The top of the second played out much like the first inning as the Lions had three straight hitters reach base with one out and got a RBI single and a RBI groundout in the inning to lengthen the lead to 4-0.
CSS got on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-out rally.
Padraic Getchell (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS (North Dakota) ) hit a two-out double and later scored on a
Ryan Burmeister (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS (Augustana, S.D.) ) RBI single.
Penn State-Behrend added to its lead in the top of the fifth, this time getting two unearned runs to make it 6-1. The Saints got those two runs right back in the bottom half when
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) hit a RBI triple and later scored on a
Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral ) sacrifice fly to make it 6-3.
After leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, St. Scholastica tied the game with a three-run seventh inning. All three runs came in on a bases-clearing double by
Trevor Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood HS (Doane) ) to tie the game at 6-6.
However, after two quick outs in the top of the eighth, the Saints would give up three hits and two walks as three Lions came around to score and regain the lead at 9-6.
After a
Bret Moody (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) RBI double in the eighth made it 9-7, the Saints attempted a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the ninth. First,
Austin Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) reached on an infield single. A Lion error then put runners at first and second. Minks followed with a RBI single up the middle to make it 9-8. After a hit by pitch, St. Scholastica had the bases loaded. Unfortunately, a groundout right back to the pitcher ended the rally and the game as the Saints fell 9-8.
Mickie Keuning (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Angelo State)) picked up the loss in relief. The Saints out-hit Penn State-Behrend 15-13 with Minks and A. Colvard leading the way with three hits apiece.
The Saints (4-3) will complete its Florida play tomorrow when it takes on Hilbert College (N.Y.) in a doubleheader beginning at 10:30 a.m. (ET). Listen to the action live on Saints Sports Net.
