Notables
-Taival allows just two hits en route to a game one victory
-Schelonka goes 3-3 with 3 RBI in game one victory
-Stubbles, Harris, Schelonka, and Udd all record three hits in game two
-CSS' first series sweep of season
DULUTH, Minn.
(csssaints.com) – Riding a pitching outing that only allowed two hits in game one, and a high-powered offense that would not relent in the second game of the day, gave the St. Scholastica baseball team a two-game sweep against Carleton in a MIAC conference matchup. The Saints recorded a season-high 18 runs in the second game, while also recording 31 hits across both games.
Game One: CSS 9, Carleton 2
Carleton got on the board early in game one of today's doubleheader, getting a leadoff single and then driving that runner in on a sacrifice fly to give the Knights an early 1-0 lead.
After the Saints were held in check in the bottom of the first inning, Carleton added another run to its lead, as a one out double headlined an inning in which the Knights expanded its lead over CSS to 2-0.
The Saints got three runners on early in the top of the second, as
Andrew Rott (St. Augusta, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS) singled and two other Saints batters got on base via errors. The Saints got its first run on a
Luke Schemenauer (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls HS) sacrifice fly that scored Peyton Jeffries to cut the Knights' lead to 2-1.
Later in the inning,
Mitchell Novak (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS) singled which would score a run on a throwing error by Carleton, tying the game at 2-2 as CSS still had two men in scoring position.
With two outs in the inning,
Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) hit a clutch triple to right center field, scoring two more Saints and giving CSS a 4-2 lead over the Knights.
Grant Taival (Lake Elmo, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) was handed the ball for the start in today's first game, and he showed today just how dominant his stuff was, as Taival retired nine Knights batters in a row between the third through the fifth inning, as the game remained at 4-2.
Early in the bottom of the fifth, the Saints got two men on and brought them both in as
Jack Harris (San Francisco, Calif./Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep (Skyline CC)) drove one in on a fielder's choice and later, Schemenauer would collect his second RBI in the game on yet another sacrifice fly to extend CSS' lead to 6-2.
Taival got through the Knights in one-two-three fashion in the top of the sixth, retiring his last 12 batters he faced all together.
Levi Stubbles (San Bruno, Calif./El Camino HS (Skyline College)) led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple, then was driven in by Schelonka on an RB single. With two outs in the inning,
Nathan Wickham (Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn HS (Concordia-Neb.)) got a bloop RBI single to fall, scoring two runners, to take a 9-2 lead.
Schelonka took over for Taival in the seventh and struck out two of the three batters he faced as the Saints captured a 9-2 victory in game one.
Game Two: CSS 18, Carleton 13
The Saints wasted no time getting going in the second game, as Stubbles opened the scoring with a one-out towering home run to left field to take an early 1-0 lead. After the Saints loaded the bases later in the inning, Wickham drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.
In the next at-bat,
Joe Udd (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS) singled through the right side, collecting an RBI in the process to extend the lead to 3-0. CSS would add on one more in the inning on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to lead 4-0 after one inning of play.
Stubbles and Schelonka led off the top of the second with singles and successfully pulled off a double steal to put two men in scoring position with just one out. After the Saints got two runs on errors, Udd pulled off his second RBI hit of the game, this one being an RBI double, as CSS led 7-0.
Joe Tiemann followed Udd with an RBI base hit of his own, lacing a triple that scored Udd, and would score on the next at-bat as Schemenauer drove him in on an RBI to make the score 9-0 Saints.
The Knights recorded two runs in the top of the third inning, scoring two runs, making a small dent in the Saints lead, trailing 9-2.
Stubbles and Schelonka once again opened the inning with singles and after advancing to scoring position on errors, Harris drove in Stubbles on a sacrifice fly, and Schelonka scored on a
Ryan Garlick (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS (Iowa Central Community College)) RBI single.
The Saints brought another runner in on an error, making the score 12-2 Saints after three innings.
Carleton added two runs in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run to make the game 12-4.
After the Saints' offense was held silent for the first time in the second game, Carleton edged its way closer to the Saints' lead, tallying four runs in the inning to make the score 12-8.
The Knights made things interesting in the top of the fifth inning, cutting the Saints' once big lead to just one run, as Carleton added three more runs to make the score 12-11.
In the bottom of the sixth, Schemenauer reached base via a hit-by-pitch and
Matt Forrest (Oakdale, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) picked up a base hit with a single to put two men on for CSS. After
Mason Boos (Duluth, Minn/Duluth Marshall HS) was walked, loading up the bases, Harris drove in two on an RBI single to give CSS a little breathing room, leading 14-11.
Carleton didn't think twice about the Saints addition, as an RBI and a steal of home, put the Knights right back in the mix of things, cutting the score to 14-13.
After Udd singled to lead off the inning, Schemenauer recorded another RBI hit today, scoring Udd and making the score 15-13.
In the bottom of the eighth,
Kam Larson (Chaska, Minn./Chaska HS) recorded an RBI single that scored Boos, who got on base on a walk earlier in the inning, to make the score 16-13. The Saints then got another run in the next at-bat, scoring on a wild pitch and later Larson would score on a Tiemann RBI double, giving CSS an 18-13 lead.
Although the Knights opened the top of the ninth with a double, the Saints were able to retire Carleton without surrendering a run, sweeping the Knights in a memorable game by a score of 18-13.
Up Next
The Saints (5-20, 3-9 MIAC) will be back in action next on Saturday, where they will travel to Northfield to take on the Oles from St. Olaf. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
