Notables -CSS drops fifth straight NCAA Regional game-First postseason loss to NACC School-Wood suffers first defeat of the season-Ciernia's second career home run
LA CROSSE, Wis. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team allowed five runs over the final three innings as its season came to an end with a 7-4 loss to Concordia University-Chicago on Thursday at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at Copeland Park.
The first batter for Cougars, Jeff Von Moser, gave Concordia an early lead with a home run over the left field wall. The Cougars added to their lead in the bottom of the third as after a two-out double, Carlos Olavarria singled in the runner at second to make it 2-0.
After going hitless through the first three innings,
Austin Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) beat out an infield single to leadoff the fourth. After a sacrifice bunt,
Trevor Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood HS (Doane) ) brought in Colvard from second to cut the Concordia lead to 2-1.
CSS then tied the game in the top of the fifth when
Shayne Ciernia (Eagan, Minn./Breck HS ) led off the inning with a home run over the right field wall. Later in the inning,
Padraic Getchell (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS (North Dakota) ) hit a deep shot off the left field wall and was attempting an inside-the-park home run, but was thrown out at the plate.
In the bottom frame, mistakes hurt the Saints. With runners at the corners and no outs, a ground ball turned into two CSS errors on the same play, allowing a run to score. A passed ball then allowed a second run to come across. The Cougars added a third run on a ground out.
In the seventh,
Chris Olson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS ) ripped a ball down the right field line, plating two runs to cut the Concordia lead to 5-4. However, the Saints would run themselves out of the inning as pair of runners in scoring position were thrown out trying to advance.
Following a balk call in the eighth, the Cougars added a run in the seventh on a groundout to make it 6-4. In the eighth, the Saints recorded two quick outs, but an error, a stolen base and an infield single, setup a double steal and another run for Concordia as it led 7-4.
The Saints went down in order in the top of the ninth to make the final score 7-4.
Daniel Wood (Canyon, Minn./South Ridge HS ) picked up his first loss of the season as he pitched 5.1 innings and allowed six hits. Six different Saints recorded hits. Eric Palmer earned the win for the Cougars, striking out six.
The Saints end their season with a 32-13 record. CSS will say goodbye to eight seniors, who have won 126 games over the last four years. For future information on St. Scholastica baseball, keep following
csssaints.com.
