Notables
-M. Olson was a double shy of the cycle
-Olson is 11-for-16 in the first four games down in Florida
-Girtz has reached base safely in 28 consecutive games dating back to last season
-CSS pitchers combined for a season-high 13 strikeouts
AUBURNDALE, Fla. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica baseball team outlasted Husson University (Maine) 11-9 Tuesday evening at the RussMatt Invitational.
How It Happened
After Husson (3-5) got on the board in the top of the first, the Saints responded in the bottom frame when
Mitchell Olson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) continued to swing a hot bat with a RBI single.
Aaron Weber (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Pierz HS) followed with another RBI single to give the Saints a 2-1 lead.
Lane Girtz (Pierz, Minn./Pierz Healy HS) drove in a run with a single in the second. Girtz scored later in the inning on a wild pitch. In Olson's second plate appearance he belted a two-run home run over the left field fence to extend the lead to 6-1. That was Olson's first collegiate home run.
The Eagles hit a bases-clearing, three-run double in the third to cut the CSS lead to 6-4. With the score at 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth, Weber hit a sacrifice fly to score Olson and make it 7-5. St. Scholastica added to its lead in the sixth when
Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) stole third and then scored on a throwing error. Later in the inning with the bases loaded,
Joey Zwak (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) was hit by a pitch to bring in another run. Girtz made it 10-5 when he scored on an Olson groundout.
Eric Pearson (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) scored on a wild pitch in the seventh for the Saints' final run of the game. However, Husson was not done scoring, plating four runs in the eighth, including a three-run home run to make it 11-9. The Eagles then put the tying run on base in the ninth, but
Matt Tautges (Fort Ripley, Minn./Pierz HS) entered the game and got the final batter to fly out to center to end the game at 11-9.
Pitching
Grant Mergen (Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake HS) picked up the win in relief, striking out five in 2.2 innings.
Jack Perala (Virginia, Minn./Virginia HS), Mergen,
Dallas Miller (Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake HS),
Kobe Olson (Shoreview, Minn./Roseville HS) and Tautges combined for 13 strikeouts.
Top Offensive Performers
Olson was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Mitchell Novak (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Pearson and
Reed Larson (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria HS) also had a pair of hits.
Up Next
The Saints (4-3-1) will be off until Friday when they resume play down in Florida against Benedictine University (Ill.) with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. (ET).