Notables
-Schedule change for BLC series (See below)
-The 19 runs are the most for CSS since May 7th, 2016 (Crown: 20)
-CSS is now a perfect 14-0 against North Central
-The Saints hit nine doubles in the two games
-CSS played a total of 21 players in game two of the doubleheader
-The Saints are on a nine-game winning streak
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The College of St. Scholastica baseball team continued with its winning ways as it brought out the brooms for yet another doubleheader sweep, this time exerting its dominance over Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) foe North Central University (Minn.) at Wade Stadium. The Saints took care of business, beating the Rams by scores of 8-3 and 19-0, respectively.
Game 1: CSS 8, NCU 3
The only runs North Central scored on the day came early, which might come as a shock when looking at the combined scores of the doubleheader that took place at Wade Stadium Wednesday afternoon. In fact, all three of North Central's runs were scored in the bottom of the first, giving them a quick 3-0 lead over St. Scholastica to start off the ballgame.
Braydon Hanson (Monticello, Minn. /Monticello HS (UW-Whitewater) ) got things rolling for the Saints in the top of the second, singling in
Michael Grove (Forest Lake, Minn./Edina HS ) to put the Saints on the scoreboard.
Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn. /Mankato West HS) then singled in a run of his own in the third inning, bringing the Saints to within one at a score of 3-2.
Next, the Bernsdorf brothers of
Riley Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn. /Floodwood HS) and
Trevor Bernsdorf (Elmer, Minn./Floodwood HS ) each recorded an RBI in the fifth and sixth innings to give the Saints a one-run lead at 4-3.
Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS ) broke the game open in the top of the seventh with a two-RBI double down the left field line to give the Saints a three-run cushion.
The three runs were enough, but Wollenzien made sure to add another insurance run in the top of the eighth after hitting a sacrifice fly to center field that scored
Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral ) from third. The final run for the Saints, which came in the ninth inning, was scored by Colvard on a passed ball to make the final score 8-3.
Dan Hansen (Brooklyn Center, Minn./Park Center HS ) picked up his second win of the season, allowing just two earned runs and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.
Jordan Thompson (Montevideo, Minn. /Montevideo HS (Ridgewater CC) ) came in to relieve Hansen, pitching two hitless innings of his own to close out the game for CSS.
Game 2: CSS 19, NCU 0 (F/7)
If North Central's first inning rampage in game one was impressive, then St. Scholastica's start to game two might put many in shock. Not only did the Saints match the three runs scored by the Rams in game one, they added 10 to it. The math is correct, the Saints scored 13 runs in the top of the first inning, taking away North Central's hope of an upset rather early.
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) started the 13-run inning with a double down the left-field line that scored two teammates. Neutzling then doubled home Minks with a rocket to left center to make the game 3-0. Neutzling scored on an error by North Central's first baseman, and then R. Bernsdorf doubled to center field to score Wollenzien and make the game 5-0. A few batters later, with the bases loaded, it would be
Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth East HS ) singling home two runs with a shot to right field.
A passed ball would give the Saints another run before Neutzling would hit his second double of the inning, this time a two-run smack to right center to put the Saints up 10-0. That was followed up nicely with a Wollenzien double to right field to score Neutzling and put CSS up by 11. Finally, putting the icing on the cake was R. Bernsdorf. As if all the doubles weren't enough, Bernsdorf hit a two-run homerun to left field to put the Saints up 13-0 after one inning of play.
The Saints tacked two more runs on in the third inning. Hanson started the scoring off with a single up the middle to score
Alek Stone (Mahtomedi, Minn. /Mahtomedi HS). Another passed ball would then take place, scoring T. Bernsdorf from third and making the game 15-0. Stone then decided it was his turn to hit a teammate home in the fourth inning, singling to right center to score
Tim Munn (Champlin, Minn. /Champlin Park HS ).
Two more runs would be scored in the top of the sixth, mostly thanks in part to good offensive play from
Eric Pearson (Champlin, Minn. /Champlin Park HS ). First, Pearson doubled to right center to score
Aaron Weber (Sauk Rapids, Minn. /Pierz HS ), then used smart base running to advance to third on a throwing error and eventually home after a wild pitch by NCU. The last run of the game came off an RBI-groundout by
Drew Sathrum (Kenyon, Minn. /Kenyon-Wanamingo HS ), which scored Hanson to make the final score 19-0.
Ben Christofferson (Maple Grove, Minn. /Osseo HS) pitched four scoreless innings to earn the win for the Saints, striking out six and only walking one in the process.
Nick Peterson (Richfield, Minn. /Richfield HS (St. Cloud Tech & CC) ),
Matt Hanson (Wallace, Mich. /Stephenson HS (Mesabi Range CC) ), and
August Anderson (Mendota Heights, Minn. /Henry Sibley HS ) all pitched one inning apiece to round out the Saints pitching for the day, with each of them recording a strikeout.
Up Next: Schedule Change
The Saints will be right back on the field tomorrow afternoon to take on the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings in Mankato, Minnesota. The original game was scheduled for Saturday, but due to a heavy forecast of rain the game will be played Thursday. It will be another doubleheader for the Saints, who are looking to extend their winning streak to double-digit figures over the weekend, as well as remain perfect in conference play. First pitch is to be thrown at 1:30 p.m.
