Notables
-William Paterson receiving votes in D3baseball.com poll
-Seven CSS players record a multi-hit game
-Venske goes 3-for-4 with one RBI
-First ever meeting between these two programs
AUBURNDALE, Fla. (
csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica baseball team played its sixth game in the RussMatt Invitational on Friday, facing the Pioneers from William Paterson University (N.J.). While the Saints made a late push to try to extend the game into extra innings, early runs by William Paterson proved to be too much as the Saints fell in this matchup by a score of 7-6.
How It Happened
The Pioneers (9-5) made a statement early in the top of the first by scoring two runs, taking an early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first inning, CSS went to work, proving that today's game was not going to be one sided. With two outs in the inning,
Jack Harris (San Francisco, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep (Skyline CC)) doubled to right to put a man in scoring position. In the next at-bat,
Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) also hit a double, this one in the left center gap, scoring Harris and making the game 2-1.
It didn't take long for William Paterson to crack the scoreboard, homering to left center and extending its lead over CSS, 3-1.
Pitching was the highlight of the next few innings as Saints pitcher
Grant Taival (Lake Elmo, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) struck out two Pioneers to end the top of the third. Both teams were held in check as the game inched closer to the end, with the score still lodged at 3-1 in favor of the Pioneers.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Pioneers added to its lead on a two-RBI single. Another run was scored on a suicide bunt back to the pitcher that gave the Pioneers another run and a 6-1 lead heading into the bottom half of the fifth.
The runs scored by William Paterson put a little fire in the bats of CSS, as they would not go down without a fight.
Matt Tautges (Fort Ripley, Minn./Pierz HS) singled to lead off the inning. Followed up by a single by
Jack Tiemann (Bloomington, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), the Saints found themselves with a real chance to drive in some baserunners and chip away at the Pioneers' lead. Harris delivered, singling through the right side, scoring both Tautges and Tiemann and giving the Saints some life, trailing by just three runs, 6-3. Schelonka and
Mitchell Olson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) would single in the inning that would make the bases loaded with no one out. A double play would score Harris to make the game 6-4 going into the sixth inning.
William Paterson extended its lead in the sixth, on an RBI that scored a runner that doubled earlier in the inning. Heading into the Saints' half of the sixth, the Pioneers lead 7-4.
In the bottom of the sixth,
Mitchell Novak (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) led off the inning with a single. He then advanced to third on a single by Tautges that saw runners on the corners with just one out. Tiemann hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Novak and made the score 7-5.
Both teams went scoreless into the bottom of the ninth inning, where the Saints had to fight to try to extend this morning's ballgame. In the inning, Schelonka got on base via an error, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a balk. Venske flew out to center, scoring Schelonka and bringing the tying man to the plate. Unfortunately, the Saints comeback fell short by a score of 7-6.
Up Next
The Saints (5-6) will wrap up the RussMatt Invitational on Saturday, where they will face the Pointers of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. (E.T.).
