Notables
-Weber has reached base in 24 straight games
-Fleming led in RBIs with six across the two games; his first RBIs as a Saint
-Girtz had a season-high five hits for a CSS player
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team swept North Central University (Minn.) in doubleheader action on Wednesday, winning the first game 13-8 and the second 9-0 to extend its winning streak to 14 games.
Game 1: CSS 13, NCU 8
The game remained scoreless until the top of the second when CSS earned two runs. The first came after a single by
James Fuerniss (Lonsdale, Minn./New Prague HS) drove in
Cole Tyman (Elk Mound, Wis./Elk Mound HS). Fuerniss then scored off an RBI by
Mitchell Olson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) to make it 2-0. The Rams were able to earn one run in the second thanks to a wild pitch.
Lane Girtz (Pierz, Minn./Pierz Healy HS) scored CSS' third run after a fielding error by the Rams in the third inning. However, the Rams were able to once again make it a one-run game by scoring another in the third to make it 3-2.
The Saints then went on to score six-straight runs to earn a 9-2 lead. Fuerniss scored his second run of the game after an RBI by
Justin Fleming (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS). Olson then was able to score thanks to a fielder's choice, and a single by Girtz drove in
Brad Fossum (Sturgeon Lake, Minn./Moose Lake HS (Concordia-St. Paul)). In the fifth inning, a RBI double by Fleming drove in Fuerniss and Tyman. Fleming scored CSS' ninth run via an RBI by
Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS).
The Rams (11-12, 4-4 UMAC) then responded with six straight runs to make it 9-8. The Saints were able to hold off the Rams thanks to a two-run single by Fuerniss in the eighth and a Tyman two-run single in the ninth to make the final 13-8.
Aidan Zurn (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) earned the win on the mound for the Saints, pitching five innings and giving up six hits, while earning three strikeouts.
Jake Sande (Hayward, Wis./Hayward HS) came in the game in the eighth to earn the save.
Girtz was 5-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored.
Aaron Weber (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Pierz HS) and Tyman also had four hits apiece.
Game 2: CSS 9, NCU 0
CSS opened the scoring in the first inning after Fossum scored off a single by Weber. Then, a double by Tyman drove in Weber and Zwak to make it 3-0 to CSS.
The Saints added two more runs in the fourth, after RBIs by Fleming and Fossum. A home run by Fuerniss in the sixth inning marked CSS' sixth run. And their final three runs came in the eighth inning after a RBI double by Fleming and a RBI by Fossum.
Grant Taival (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) pitched seven innings for the Saints, only allowing six hits and throwing three strikeouts to pick up the victory.
Fleming had two hits and three RBIs to pace the offense.
Up Next
The Saints (19-8, 10-0 UMAC) will now welcome Crown College to Wade Stadium on Friday for a doubleheader, with the first game starting at noon. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Saturday at Crown.
