Notables
-Strebing pitched a seven inning no hitter in game one, the ninth no-hitter in program history
-Saints have now won 49 straight game in Duluth, including 47 straight at Wade Stadium
-CSS totaled 35 runs and 29 hits between the two games
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team swept North Central University in a Tuesday Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) doubleheader in the home opener at Wade Stadium.
Game 1: CSS 14, NCU 1 (F/7)
CSS scored four first
inning runs highlighted by back-to-back home runs by
Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral ) and
Sam Christofferson (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS ) to jump out to an early lead.
After an additional third
inning run to make the score 5-0, the Saints would go on to pour out nine runs in the fourth
and fifth
innings to take a 14-0 lead.
During that span, St. Scholastica had three players tally RBIs on extra base hits. Christoffferson smacked an RBI double for the final run of the fourth, while
Trevor Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood HS ) hit a two-RBI double in the five-run fifth. Neutzling also added a two-run triple of his own..
In the end,
Gino Strebing (Tucson, Ariz./Santa Rita HS (Rainy River CC) ) slammed the door tfor his first collegiate no hitter giving up only one unearned run, while striking out seven hitters in seven innings of work. The no-hitter was the ninth in program history and the first since
Mickie Keuning (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Angelo State))'s no-no against the University of Minnesota Morris in 2012 also at Wade Stadium.
Neutzling, Christofferson,
Al Marolt (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS), and
Austin Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) all finished game one with two hits. Nuetzling had four RBIs and T. Bernsdorf had three RBIs.
Game 2: CSS 21, NCU 1 (F/7)
The Saints scored at least two runs in every inning of game two on their way to a 21-1 seven inning victory.
CSS scored four runs in each of the first three innings behind an offensive onslaught that included 11 total hits. T. Bernsdorf had a two-run triple and then came in to score on a North Central error on the play in the first inning.
Chris Olson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS ) had a RBI double and
Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn. /Mankato West HS) had a RBI triple to highlight the third inning.
In the fourth inning, Neutzling would again homer, a two-run blast over the right field fence, scoring
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) for the only two runs of the inning.
The final box score read a season high 21 runs, 20 of which were earned, with 17 total hits recorded by 11 different players.
Minks, T. Bernsdorf, Olson,
Riley Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn. /Floodwood HS), and
Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS ) all finished with multiple hits in game two for the Saints.
Martin Alcoverde (Tucson, Ariz. /Sahuarita HS (Mesabi Range CC)) was one of five CSS pitchers that saw action in game two amd struck out four in three innings to earn the win.
Joe Gonrowski (Elk River, Minn./Elk River HS ) struck out the side in the top of the seventh.
Up Next
St. Scholastica (12-7, 12-0 UMAC) will again host a UMAC doubleheader this time against Bethany Lutheran College with game one set to begin this Saturday at 3 p.m. Catch all the action in person at Wade Stadium or online on Saints Sports Net.
