AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The St. Scholastica baseball team wrapped up its stretch in Florida today, playing a two-game doubleheader against Central College. The Saints couldn't come away with the win in the first game, falling 10-3, but was able to rebound in the second game, coming away with a key 4-2 victory, splitting the doubleheader action today. 

Game One: Central College: 10, CSS: 3

The Saints were the ones to break the scoreless tie in the first game, as in the bottom of the second inning Sam Shopbell (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake HS (Fayetteville CC)) recorded a two-out single and would later score on an RBI single from Levi Stubbles (San Bruno, Calif./El Camino HS (Skyline College)), giving CSS an early lead. 

The Dutch responded quickly in the top of the third inning, bringing two men across to take a 2-1 lead over the Saints. 

Jumping to the top of the fifth inning, Central College was able to expand its lead over CSS, scoring four runs in the inning, as the lead grew to 6-1. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, after Jack Tiemann (Bloomington, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) led off the inning on a single, Ryan Garlick (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS (Iowa Central CC)) launched his first round-tripper of the season, cutting the deficit to 6-3 in favor of the Storm. 

A two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning however, helped give the Dutch its five run lead, as the game now sat at 8-3. 

The Dutch were able to add two more runs in the top of the seventh inning, as the score sat at 10-3, and Central was able to hold off the Saints attempt at a comeback, taking the first game by a score of 10-3. 

Game Two: CSS: 4, Central College: 2

Ethan Zimmerman (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) was handed the ball for the start in the second game of the day, and he got off to a quick start, recording a 1-2-3 inning to begin the game. 

In the bottom of the third inning, Central College broke the scoreless tie and brought across the games' first runs, scoring twice in the inning, taking a 2-0 lead over the Saints. 

Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) led off the top of the fourth inning, and he was able to score as Adam Braun (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS (Central Lakes CC)) reached base on a Dutch error. Braun would then later score in the inning when Garlick drove him in, evening things at 2-2. 

Zack Hlinsky (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) and Patrick McManus (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS) both contributed to keep the Dutch offense from going any further in the fourth and fifth innings, as the score remained tied at 2-2. 

Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning, and he was able to pitch two dominant innings, striking out a pair of batters en route to consecutive scoreless innings. 

Back to back one-out singles from Spicer and Stubbles gave the Saints a pair of runners on base in a golden chance to get a late lead. Following a wild pitch that advanced the runners 90 feet, Tiemann drove in both runners on a two-RBI single up the middle, giving CSS a two-run cushion leading 4-2 in the late stages of the contest. 

Jonathan Stoeckle (Fresno, CA/Clovis West HS) came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning, hoping to earn his first save of the season and give CSS a doubleheader split. Stoeckle delivered just that, as he was able to retire the Dutch offense in order, securing a 4-2 victory for CSS in today's second game of the doubleheader. 

Up Next

The Saints (6-6,0-0) will be back in action next on Saturday, March 29, where they will host the Royals from Bethel in its home opener at Wade Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. 

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