Notables:
-In game one, CSS outhit UWS 20-10
-Saints have won 13 straight, remain undefeated in the conference
-Minks extends hitting streak to 14
-CSS improves to 10-0 at home
DULUTH, Minn (csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica baseball team swept the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Wednesday, playing through the nearly-freezing temperatures to earn 19-4 and 11-3 wins over the 'jackets in the doubleheader, extending the Saints' win streak to 13 games.
Game 1: CSS 19, UWS 4 (F/7)
The Saints put up 11 runs in the fourth inning alone in game one against the Yellowjackets to get a comfortable handle on the game, which ended with a final score of 19-4.
CSS found success right away in the first inning to start off the scoring. A walk to Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth East HS ), followed by a Tyler Duex (Bloomer, Wis./Chippewa Falls HS (UW-Superior) ) single put two men on base for the Saints. A single from Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) scored Zwak for the RBI, then an error by the left fielder allowed Duex to score as Minks advanced to third. Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral ) came to the plate next for CSS, and contributed to the inning with an RBI single up the middle to score Minks, putting the Saints up 3-0. A single by Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn. /Mankato West HS), followed by a successful bunt for a hit by Trevor Bernsdorf (Elmer, Minn./Floodwood HS ) loaded the bases. The final run of the inning came on a wild pitch, which pushed Neutzling home to give the inning its final score of 4-0.
UWS earned two hits in the top of the second inning, which allowed them to put two runs on the board to keep the lead within reach at 4-2. The Saints found success in neither the second nor the third inning, the only two innings in which they did not score.
The Saints took control of the game in the fourth inning, scoring 11 runs after making it all the way around the lineup and then some. Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS ) walked and Zwak singled to put two men on for Duex, who delivered with a double to score two. Duex advanced to third on an error, which allowed a Minks single to send him home on the next at bat, making the score 7-2. Neutzling stepped up with an RBI single to score Minks, followed up by a walk from Wollenzien. Two consecutive RBI singles from Riley Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn. /Floodwood HS), then T. Bernsdorf put two more runs up, making the score 10-2. Zwak earned an RBI of his own on a single up the middle, then Duex stepped up and kept his hot bat going with a three RBI triple to right center, which put the score at 14-2. The final run of the inning came on a wild pitch, which scored Duex from third to put the Saints up 15-2 heading into the fifth inning.
The CSS defense faced just three batters in the top of the fifth, then went back to the plate to put two more runs on the board. Wollenzien homered to lead off the inning, then a single from Michael Grove (Forest Lake, Minn./Edina HS ) for the second RBI scored T. Bersdorf, which extended the Saints lead to 17-2.
In the top of the sixth, the Yellowjackets still could not find their groove. CSS earned two more runs in the bottom of the inning, coming on a double from Tim Munn (Champlin, Minn. /Champlin Park HS ), and on a fielding error that allowed Minks to cross home for the Saints' 19th run of the game. The 'Jackets managed two runs in the top of the seventh, but they couldn't pull themselves to within 10 runs, and the game ended in seven with a score of 19-4.
Martin Alcoverde (Tucson, Ariz. /Sahuarita HS (Mesabi Range CC)) took the "W" from the mound for the Saints, pitching five full innings and earning four strikeouts. Jake Turner (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS ) came in for the final two innings and collected a strikeout himself. Duex was just a home run away from batting for the cycle for CSS with a single, a double, and a triple, going 3-for-4 with five RBI's. Zwak also went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Game 2: CSS 11, UWS 3
The second game saw a lot of early action, then a lull in the middle-to-late innings with no runs coming for either team past the fifth inning. The early surge by the Saints ultimately helped them earn the 11-3 win over UWS.
There were 10 runs scored in the first inning between the two clubs. Two coming from UWS in the top of the first, and the other eight coming from CSS. Duex tripled, his second of the day, to set things up nicely for the Saints. Minks walked to put men on the corners, then a single from Neutzling scored Duex. A followup double from Wollenzien scored both Minks and Neutzling, which pushed CSS into the 3-2 lead. R. Bernsdorf walked in his at bat, then Munn was hit by a pitch, the first one of two that hit him during the game, to load the bases. Wollenzien and R. Bernsdorf crossed the plate on a two RBI single from T. Bernsdorf to push the Saints lead to 5-2. Another hit batter, this time Colvard, loaded the bases and forced a pitching change by UWS. The relief had some trouble of his own when he walked Zwak onto the full bases, giving CSS another run, then threw a wild pitch that allowed T. Bernsdorf to score. The final run of the inning, making eight for the Saints, came from Minks on a single to third base, which scored Colvard to make the score 8-2 after just six outs.
The Saints had a bit of defensive trouble in the top of the second inning, committing three errors. The Yellowjackets took advantage and got one man across the plate to make the score 8-3. The third and fourth innings were slow for both teams. The final runs of the game were scored by CSS in the bottom of the fifth inning. Munn was hit by his second pitch of the game to get on base. A double from T. Bernsdorf put runners on second and third, and Colvard stepped up with a big double down the left field line to score two, making the score 10-3. Zwak earned an RBI, the final one given in the game, on a single to center which allowed Colvard to make it home, giving the game its final score of 11-3. The rest of the game saw only three more hits, one from UWS and two from CSS.
Grant Rindal (Superior, Wis./Superior HS ) improved his record to 4-0 with the win over the Yellowjackets. He pitched five innings and earned five strikeouts. Isaac Rocha (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna HS) came in for two innings and collected two strikeouts. Joe Gonrowski (Elk River, Minn./Elk River HS ) finished things up on the mound for CSS, facing seven batters in two innings, and striking out five of them. T. Bernsdorf led the Saints at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI's.
Up Next
The Saints take on Martin Luther College on Saturday in an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) doubleheader contest. The first pitch is set to be thrown at 1:30 p.m. at the Wade Stadium.
