DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica baseball team hosted a doubleheader for the second consecutive day, as the Knights from Carleton traveled to Wade Stadium this afternoon. The Saints were able to lock up game one with a 10-0 victory, but were unable to replicate its success in game two, falling narrowly 2-1.
Game One: CSS: 10, CAR: 0
After Zack Hlinsky (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) struck out two batters in the opening frame, Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) launched a one-out triple to give the Saints its first base runner of the contest. With two outs, Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) singled up the middle to score Schelonka and give CSS a 1-0 lead.
Hlinsky continued to shut down the Knights offense, pitching consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the top of the second and third innings.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Saints got base hits from Jack Tiemann (Bloomington, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), Sam Shopbell (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake HS (Fayetteville CC)), and Adam Braun (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS (Central Lakes CC)), but were unable to bring across any runs, as the score remained 1-0.
Schelonka and Kyle Oswald (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) both reached base to begin the bottom of the fifth inning, and Schelonka provided the second run for CSS, scoring on a wild pitch. After the wild pitch, Damian Tamayo Vera (Miami, FL./Felix Varela Senior HS) smacked a double to score Oswald and expand the CSS lead to 3-0.
Later in the inning, Shopbell would record a base hit that advanced Tamayo Vera from first to third, but an errant throw from the outfield allowed Tamayo Vera to score, making the score 4-0 in favor of CSS.
Luke Krull (Greenville, WI/Xavier HS) and Schelonka both got on base in the early moments of the bottom of the sixth inning and after Oswald walked to load the bases, Tamayo Vera recorded a 3-RBI single, followed by an RBI single by Tiemann, as the score sat at 8-0.
The Saints offense wasn't done in the inning, however, as Levi Stubbles (San Bruno, Calif./El Camino HS (Skyline College)) singled to score two more runs, with the Saints now just three outs away from taking game one with a commanding 10-0 lead.
Hlinsky finished off his great performance on the mound in the top of the seventh inning, recording one final strikeout to bring his total to six, as the Saints took game one in the doubleheader.
Game Two: CAR: 2, CSS: 1
Carleton was able to bring across its first run of the afternoon in the top of the first in the second game, taking its first lead of the day, leading 1-0.
Carleton added another run in the top of the second inning, but the Saints totaled three total errors through the first two innings, with Carleton capitalizing and bringing the score to 2-0.
Matt Forrest (Oakdale, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) was able to settle the Knights' bats, retiring eight consecutive batters beginning at the end of the third and extending through the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Braun launched a first-pitch single back up the middle, and would later score in the inning on a base hit by Stubbles, cutting the Knights lead in half, trailing 2-1.
Forrest continued to retire the Knights batters, posting scoreless innings in the middle stages of the contest, but CSS still sat down a run.
Despite the fantastic outing from Forrest, as he was able to go the distance and finish nine innings of work, the Saints offense were also held in check, as the Knights were able to come away with a 2-1 victory in game two.
Up Next
The Saints (10-13, 3-6 MIAC) will be back in action on Tuesday, April 15, where they will host the Cardinals from Saint Mary's in a doubleheader action at Wade Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
