Notables
-Neutzling extends reached base streak to 62 games
-Weber was 6-for-7 in the doubleheader
-CSS has played 13 of its last 14 games at Wade Stadium
-Eckert homered in game twoÂ
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica baseball team swept Northland College on Tuesday with a score in game one of 19-2 with the mercy rule ending things after eight innings. Game two ended in similar fashion, with a score of 20-3 after seven innings.
Game One: CSS-19, NC-2 (F/8)
Northland scored first in the game, earning their first of just two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Saints answered with three runs in the top of the second and didn't look back. The runs came on just one hit, after four consecutive walks scored a St. Scholastica runner to start the inning. Drew Colvard (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) singled for an RBI, and Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) earned one as well, making the score 3-1.Â
The third inning didn't see any scoring, but the Saints scored in every inning after that until the end the game, with only one run coming for Northland. The run in the fourth inning was a result of more pitching errors by Northland. Steven Neutzling (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, then a wild pitch, the second wild pitch of the inning, scored Colvard from third. The Saints scored two runs in the fifth, then Northland managed to get one back in the bottom of the inning.Â
The sixth and seventh innings saw three and two runs for CSS, respectively, giving the Saints an 11-2 lead. The eighth inning was the biggest one for the Saints, with eight runs coming on five hits and two errors. This gave the game its final score of 19-2, and the game ended after eight innings.
Brad Fossum (Sturgeon Lake, Minn./Moose Lake HS (Concordia-St. Paul)) led the offense for the Saints, going 3-for-4 from the plate with three RBIs and scoring four times. Colvard, Neutzling, and Riley Bernsdorf (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood HS) had two RBIs each. Aaron Weber (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Pierz HS) also recorded three hits. Jake Turner (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) started from the mound for CSS, pitching six full innings and striking out six batters. Seth Anderson (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
Game Two: CSS-20, NC-3 (F/7)
Game two had a bit of a slow start, with the Saints scoring the only run of the first two innings. The third inning saw three more runs for CSS, with Zwak reaching on a bunt to start things off. A hit, a wild pitch, and a walk loaded the bases, then Eric Pearson (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) put the ball in play to get an RBI. Two more runs scored in the inning, one credited to Fossum and two to Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) to make the score 5-0.
The fourth saw another three runs coming for CSS on two hits and an error. In the bottom of the inning, Northland got one back to put their first tally on the scoreboard. The Saints scored another four runs in the fifth, which went unanswered from Northland. The LumberJacks managed to outscore CSS in the sixth inning with two runs to the Saints' one, but in the seventh, St. Scholastica closed the game with seven runs. Fossum walked to lead off, then stole second and third. Bobby Eckert (Farmington, Minn./Farmington HS (Century CC)) homered off the left field foul pole in the next at bat to send two runs across the plate. The Saints got five more runs during the inning, to end the game with a score of 20-3.Â
Eckert went 2-for-2 and pulled in four RBIs to lead the offense. Weber was just behind him, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Nick Peterson (Richfield, Minn./Richfield HS (St. Cloud Tech & CC)) took home the win for CSS, after pitching four innings and striking out one batter. Joe Gonrowski (Elk River, Minn./Elk River HS) entered the game for an inning to help out, and came away with a strikeout of his own. James Fuerniss (Lonsdale, Minn./New Prague HS) finished up the game by pitching two innings.Â
Up Next
The Saints (19-8, 13-1 UMAC) will hit the field Saturday for their final UMAC doubleheader and the regular season title may be on the line as long time rival Bethany Lutheran College visits Wade Stadium. Game one is set to begin at 1:30 p.m.