Notables
-Bethany Lutheran committed four errors, including three errors in two scoring innings for CSS
-Neutzling has reached base in 30 straight games
-CSS improves to 16-0 at Wade Stadium this season, tying a program record for home wins in a season
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team scored all 10 of its runs in only three innings on Friday to defeat Bethany Lutheran College 10-1 and advance to tomorrow's Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament championship game.
The Action
The Saints jumped on the Vikings early thanks to miscues by BLC. A throwing error began the bottom of the first. Following a wild pitch,
Tyler Duex (Bloomer, Wis./Chippewa Falls HS (UW-Superior) ) tripled to right field scoring
Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth East HS ).
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) came up next and singled in Duex to make it 2-0. Minks later scored on another Bethany Lutheran error as the score read 3-0 CSS.
The Vikings put two runners on base in the first, second and fourth innings, but
Martin Alcoverde (Tucson, Ariz. /Sahuarita HS (Mesabi Range CC)) held them in check. That was until the top of the fifth when Bethany got its first run on the board.
It remained 3-1 entering the bottom of the sixth when
Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn. /Mankato West HS),
Riley Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn. /Floodwood HS) and
Eric Pearson (Champlin, Minn. /Champlin Park HS ) all singled to load the bases with one out. With the bases loaded,
Trevor Bernsdorf (Elmer, Minn./Floodwood HS ) hit a double play ball to the second baseman, but the throw to second sailed to left field allowing two runs to score and make it 5-1. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by
Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS ) and Zwak extended the Saints lead to 7-1.
St. Scholastica tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Pearson had a RBI double, R. Bernsdorf scored on a wild pitch and T. Bernsdorf had a sacrifice fly to put the score at 10-1, which would be the final.
Pitching
Alcoverde struck out six, scattering seven hits in six innings of work to improve to 7-1.
Joe Gonrowski (Elk River, Minn./Elk River HS ) and
Matt Hanson (Wallace, Mich. /Stephenson HS (Mesabi Range CC) ) combined for three shutout innings in relief. Brandyn Olsen suffered his first loss of the season for the Vikings.
Top Offensive Performers
Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral ) was 3-for-5 at the plate to lead the 12-hit attack. Duex, R. Bernsdorf and Pearson each added two hits.
Tomorrow's Championship
The Saints (31-8) will get to face Bethany Lutheran again in tomorrow's tournament championship game as the Vikings defeated the University of Wisconsin-Superior 8-6 in the late game Friday night. Bethany Lutheran will have to beat the Saints twice tomorrow to win the crown. The championship game begins at 1 p.m. at Wade Stadium and can be seen live on Saints Sports Net.
