Notables
-First-ever meeting between the two programs
-Start time delayed by six hours due to rain
-Neutzling extends reached base streak to 34 games
WHITEWATER, Wis. (
csssaints.com) – The No. 23 St. Scholastica baseball team scored seven runs in the final two innings and rallied twice to defeat Adrian College (Mich.) 11-8 Saturday night to stay alive in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional.
CSS Home Runs Early
The Saints took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning thanks to a 2-run home run by
Eric Pearson (Champlin, Minn. /Champlin Park HS ) in the fourth and then a 2-run home run by
Tyler Duex (Bloomer, Wis./Chippewa Falls HS (UW-Superior) ) in the fifth. For both Pearson and Duex it was their second home runs of the regional.
Adrian Ties it
Ben Christofferson (Maple Grove, Minn. /Osseo HS) was cruising along for the Saints, but ran into trouble in the sixth. With one out and two runners on, the Bulldogs smacked a 3-run home run that just snuck inside the left field foul pole to cut the CSS lead to 4-3. Adrian later got a two-out double to tie the contest at 4-4.
Tit-for-Tat Ending
With the fog starting to roll in, Adrian took its first lead of the game with a two-out RBI single in the seventh to make it 5-4. Heading to the eighth, the Saints had a runner at first with two outs.
Riley Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn. /Floodwood HS) singled and would be pinch run for by
Tim Munn (Champlin, Minn. /Champlin Park HS ).
Trevor Bernsdorf (Elmer, Minn./Floodwood HS ) followed with a RBI single thru the right side to score Pearson and tie the game at 5-5. However, the Saints weren't done as
Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS ) then doubled to right field to clear the bases and give the Saints a 7-5 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Adrian quickly loaded the bases with no outs. The Bulldogs would get a double to right center to score two, but
Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth East HS ) would cut down the third runner at the plate to keep the game tied at 7-7. Later in the inning, however, Adrian took the lead on a one-out sacrifice fly to make it 8-7 heading to the ninth.
Down to its final two outs, St. Scholastica rallied again. After the leadoff hitter recorded an out, Duex singled to left.
Brian Minks (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS ) followed with a double to right field to put runners at second and third.
Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral ) then ripped a shot just inside the third base line to score both Duex and Minks to give the Saints the lead again at 9-8. CSS was not done as Pearson hit another rocket to deep left that bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double to plate Neutzling from second. The final run of the inning came when
Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn. /Mankato West HS) poked a ball just over the head of the third baseman to score Pearson and make it 11-8 St. Scholastica.
Adrian got a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth, but following a strikeout
Joe Gonrowski (Elk River, Minn./Elk River HS ) induced a ground ball double play to end it by a final of 11-8.
Pitching
Gonrowski earned the win in relief to improve to 4-0 this season. He scattered two hits and did not allow a run in 1.2 innings. Christofferson struck out six in 5.2 innings for the no-decision.
Top Offensive Performers
The Saints had 15 hits in the contest. Duex was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Pearson was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Wollenzien also recorded three hits on the night.
Up Next
The Saints (34-9) will face the University of St. Thomas tomorrow in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. The Tommies eliminated host University of Wisconsin-Whitewater earlier on Sunday. The action can be heard live on
Saints Sports Net.
