SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The St. Scholastica baseball team found itself back in the metropolitan area this afternoon, traveling to take on the Scots from Macalester College. The Scots had the Saints' number in game one, winning by a score of 3-1, but in game two, both offenses came to play, as the Saints rode 10 extra base hits to an 18-13 victory to split today's doubleheader.
Game One: MAC: 3, CSS: 1
Payton Jeffries (Vancouver, Wash./Union HS (Shasta College)) picked up his first two strikeouts in game one in the bottom of the first inning, as he was able to retire the Scots with the score remaining tied.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Jeffries, Jake Schelonka (Sartell, Minn./Sartell HS) and Jack Tiemann (Bloomington, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) singled to get on base with one out in the inning. One batter later, Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) drove in Schelonka on an RBI single to give CSS its first lead of the game, leading 1-0.
The Saints got a pair of runners on in the top of the fourth inning, as Damian Tamayo Vera (Miami, FL./Felix Varela Senior HS) and Ryan Garlick (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS (Iowa Central CC)) both singled, but CSS would strand both of them, as the score remained at 1-0.
Macalester began the bottom of the fourth getting a pair of baserunners on. With two outs, a two-RBI single and an RBI triple would give the Scots a two-run lead over CSS, leading 3-1.
Despite Ethan Zimmerman (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) delivering 2 ⅓ perfect innings of relief to keep the Scots deadlocked at three runs, the Saints offense couldn't capitalize on scoring opportunities, as Macalester came out on top in game one by a score of 3-1.
Game Two: CSS: 18, MAC: 13
Tiemann wasted no time giving CSS the lead in game two, launching a no-doubt solo home run to put the Saints ahead 1-0.
Macalester put up a crooked number in the bottom of the second inning, bringing four runners across the plate on three hits and a CSS error, as the Scots now lead 4-1.
After Sam Shopbell (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake HS (Fayetteville CC)) singled to lead off the top of the third for CSS, Kyle Oswald (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) ripped a double to the right center gap to bring in Shopbell and trim the deficit to 4-2. After Schelonka walked and Tiemann singled to load the bases, Tamayo Vera drove in a run on an RBI walk to make the score 4-3.
Later in the inning, Ryan Garlick (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS (Iowa Central CC)) cleared the bases on a 3-RBI double to put the Saints back on top 6-4. Brady Goebel (Albany, MN/Albany HS) would step in one batter later and drive in Garlick on an RBI groundout, extending the Saints lead to 7-4.
Macalester responded quickly in the bottom of the third inning, however. Despite no hits being recorded in the inning, the Scots reclaimed the lead by scoring four runs in the inning to now lead 8-7.
In the top of the fifth inning, with two runners on, Goebel laced an extra-base hit to the right center gap, scoring both runners to give CSS a 9-8 lead in the contest.
Both squads bats went quiet until the bottom of the sixth inning, where the Scots scored two runs on an extra-base hit to reclaim its lead at 10-9.
Tamayo Vera and Adam Braun (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS (Central Lakes CC)) singled to begin the top of the seventh for the Saints, as Goebel was able to add to his RBI total and drive in both runners on a double, giving the Saints the lead back in the process. Following Stubbles singling to put runners on the corners, Shopbell and Schelonka came through with RBI base hits to make the score 13-10.
The Saints weren't done scoring in the seventh just yet, however, as Tiemann picked up another extra-base hit, this one being a triple that scored two more runs, as the score now sat at 15-10.
Goebel picked up his sixth RBI of the ballgame in the top of the eighth inning, driving in a run on a sacrifice fly to score Braun, who doubled to begin the inning, extending the lead to 16-10 heading to the bottom of the eighth inning.
Macalester picked up a run in the inning on an RBI double, making a dent into the Saints large lead.
CSS would add two more runs to its total in the top of the ninth inning, as Tamayo Vera picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly, and Braun drove in another run on his second double of the game with the Saints now up 18-11.
The Scots would score twice in the inning in an attempt to make a comeback, but the Saints were able to fend off its attempt, coming away with an 18-13 victory in game two, splitting today's doubleheader.
Up Next
The Saints (20-17, 8-10 MIAC) will begin its final homestand of the year on Wednesday, where they will host the Yellowjackets from UW-Superior at Wade Stadium in just a single contest. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
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