AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The St. Scholastica baseball team continued the Russmatt Invitational this morning, taking on the Rangers from Drew University (NJ). The Saints broke the scoreless tie and claimed the lead in the third inning and did not look back, with the CSS pitching staff allowing just three Rangers hits, coming away with a 7-2 victory today.
How it Happened
Payton Jeffries (Vancouver, Wash./Union HS (Shasta College)) got off to a fast start after allowing a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning, striking out a pair of batters to shut down the Rangers offense.
The bottom of the second proved to be another successful inning for Jeffries, as the senior striked out the side to bring his strikeout total to five, with the score still remaining at 0-0.
Nate Hammerback (Alexandria MN/Alexandria HS) and Ethan Raye (Superior, Wis./Superior HS) both picked up one-out singles to put two runners on for the Saints in the top of the third. After Sam Shopbell (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake HS (Fayetteville CC)) walked for the second time in the game, Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) drove in a run on an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly by Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)), giving CSS a 2-0 lead.
Jeffries continued to be nearly untouchable on the mound, striking out two more Rangers batters in the bottom of the third inning, keeping the Saints in front.
Jumping ahead to the bottom of the fifth inning, Jeffries brought his strikeout total to nearly double figures, as he got two more Rangers to go down on strikes, holding down the fort with CSS leading 2-0.
After Ryan Garlick (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS (Iowa Central CC)) walked and stole second with one out in the inning, Raye was able to drive him in on an RBI triple, and he would later score on a wild pitch, expanding the lead to 4-0.
The Rangers scored its first run in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Saints still held a comfortable 4-1 lead.
Spicer and Brady Goebel (Albany, MN/Albany HS) led off the top of the seventh with a pair of walks and the pair was able to move 90 feet further on a sacrifice bunt from Adam Braun (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS (Central Lakes CC)). Spicer was able to score during the next at-bat on a balk, and Goebel would score on a Jack Tiemann (Bloomington, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) sacrifice fly, putting the Saints up 6-1.
Jeffries struck out his 10th batter of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning before being replaced by Garrett Green (Riverside, CA/Martin Luther King HS). The Rangers scored a run in the inning to cut the deficit to 6-2.
Braun would lead off the top of the ninth with a walk, which then gave Luke Krull (Greenville, WI/Xavier HS) a chance to pinch run. With two outs in the inning, Krull would score on an RBI single from Levi Stubbles (San Bruno, Calif./El Camino HS (Skyline College)), bringing the score to 7-2.
Green was able to finish the job in the bottom of the ninth inning, shutting down the Rangers offense, giving CSS a 7-2 victory in today's contest.
Record Setting Performance
Sam Shopbell (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake HS (Fayetteville CC)) broke a Saints offensive single-game record this afternoon, as the senior recorded five walks in today's performance.
Up Next
The Saints (3-5, 0-0) will be back in action tomorrow, March 13, where they will take part in a doubleheader as they continue the Russmatt Invitational. CSS will take on Thomas College at 9:00 A.M. EST and Simpson College at 12:30 P.M. EST
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