Notables
-CSS scored 12 runs in the top of the seventh in the Keene State win
-There were 22 combined walks in CSS-Concordia game
-CSS pitchers threw 219 pitches in the nightcap
-First-ever meeting against both programs
AUBURNDALE, Fla. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team won its first game of the day by 14 runs, but could not keep up offensively in the nightcap as it went 1-1 on Friday at the RussMatt Invitational.
CSS 18, Keene State 4 (F/7)
The Saints broke open a 4-4 tie against Owls (3-6) by scoring a combined 14 runs between the sixth and seventh inning, including 12 in the seventh to win 18-4 in seven innings.
A
Cody Venske (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) sacrifice fly and
Jeff LeMay (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) RBI single got the Saints on the board with two runs in the top of the second. For Venske it was his first collegiate RBI.
The Saints got into trouble in the bottom frame, which allowed four Keene State runs to come across and trailed 4-2. CSS got those two runs back in the third inning with one swing of the bat as
Eric Pearson (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) hit the team's first home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left field fence to make it 4-4.
It remained 4-4 until the sixth inning when
Conor Wollenzien (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) scored on a double-steal attempt to give the Saints a 5-4 lead. Later in the inning
Cole Tyman (Elk Mound, Wis./Elk Mound HS) hit a RBI triple to make it 6-4.
The Saints extended their lead in a big way in the top of the seventh. The first nine batters reached base before an out was recorded.
Zach Harding (Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing HS),
Aaron Weber (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Pierz HS), Tyman, LeMay,
Mitchell Olson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) and Venke all had RBIs in the inning. When the inning finally ended, 12 CSS runs came across to make it 18-4.
Braydon Hanson (Monticello, Minn./Monticello HS (UW-Whitewater)) would not allow a run in the bottom half as the game ended by mercy-rule in seven innings 18-4.
Weber and Venske each had three RBIs with Weber the only Saint recording multiple hits with two. Wollenzien scored four times.
Jake Sande (Hayward, Wis./Hayward HS) went 5.2 innings on the mound and struck out four to earn the win. Hanson allowed only one hit in 1.1 innings of relief.
#13 Concordia Texas 15, CSS 7
The 13
th-ranked Tornados (15-1) scored four runs in three separate innings en route to a 15-7 victory over the Saints in the nightcap.
Hanson tied the game at the plate with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second to make it 1-1. Concordia responded by scoring four runs in back-to-back innings to extend the margin to 9-2.
The Saints answered by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings and found themselves down only 11-7 entering the seventh.
However, the Tornados got their third, four-run inning of the game in the seventh for the last scoring of the contest to make the final 15-7.
Hanson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Wollenzien also had a pair of RBIs. Harding walked three times and scored twice. Brett Leiferman had five RBIs for Concordia.
Up Next:
The Saints (3-4) wrap up play at the RussMatt Invitational Saturday morning against Westfield State University (Mass.). First pitch is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (ET).
