Notables
-Braun collects four base hits
-Horon goes 2-3
-Baker strikes out three in 2 ⅓ innings of relief
-CSS finishes season 10-4 at home
DULUTH, Minn. – The College of St. Scholastica baseball team fell today in its home finale for the 2024 regular season against the UW-Superior Yellowjackets. The Saints led 5-2 at one point, but 10 runs in the final five innings, including a seven-run sixth innings, pushed the Yellowjackets past the Saints for a final score of 12-6 this afternoon.
From the Field
UW-Superior was able to strike first blood in the top of the first inning, scoring two runs on three hits, to claim an early lead over CSS.
Adam Braun (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS (Central Lakes CC)) delivered a one-out triple in the bottom of the first, but the Saints would strand him at third, as the Yellowjackets held its 2-0 lead after one inning of play.
Cody Horon (Union Grove, Wis./Union Grove HS (Northern State University)) singled with one out in the bottom of the second inning, followed by an infield bunt single by Luke Schemenauer (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls HS) to put two men on with just one out for CSS. Later in the inning, Kyle Oswald (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) doubled in both runners to tie the game at 2-2. The next batter, Braun, drove in two more runs on an infield single after great baserunning from Nathan Wickham (Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn HS (Concordia-Neb.)) and Oswald, giving CSS its first lead of the afternoon, leading 4-2.
After Sam Shopbell (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake HS (Fayetteville CC)) doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning, he was able to advance to third on a balk. Following a walk from Levi Stubbles (San Bruno, Calif./El Camino HS (Skyline College)), Schemenauer picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly that scored Shopbell and extended the Saints' lead to 5-2.
Matt Juza (Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake HS) got the start on the mound for the Saints, and he was able to record strikeouts in the second, third, and fourth innings, respectively, as the sophomore was in line to get the win after five innings of work with the Saints in front 5-4 entering the top of the sixth inning.
After Ethan Zimmerman (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) picked up back-to-back strikeouts to begin the top of the sixth inning, the Yellowjackets bats came alive, delivering seven runs in the inning on five hits all with two outs to claim an 11-5 lead over the Saints.
UW-Superior added another run to its total in the top of the seventh inning, making the score 12-5 over CSS.
Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single, and after a single by Stubbles and a double steal by the duo, Schelonka scored on a sacrifice fly by Horon to try to cut into the deficit, with CSS still trailing 12-6.
Kyle Baker (Benson, Ariz./Benson HS (Central Lakes College)) was called upon to finish the seventh inning and pitch the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Baker was able to shut down the Yellowjackets offense, pitching 2 ⅓ innings and recording three strikeouts in the process, as the Saints headed into the bottom of the ninth trailing by six runs.
Braun picked up his fourth hit of the day to lead off the inning, but that would be all the Saints could muster, as the Yellowjackets came away with a 12-6 victory over the Saints in today's home finale.
Up Next
The Saints (20-14, 7-9) will be back in action on Wednesday, where they will travel to take on Bethel University in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 P.M.
