DAVENPORT, Fla. — The College of St. Scholastica baseball team wrapped up its spring break trip on Friday with a pair of close contests, falling 5–4 to North Park University before dropping a 9–6 decision to Benedictine University at Northeast Regional Park. With the two losses, the Saints move to 8–5 overall on the season.
In the opener against North Park, the Saints built an early lead before the Vikings rallied late for the win.
St. Scholastica took control early, scoring three runs through the first five innings. Markus Isaiah (Centralia, IL/Centralia HS) highlighted the offensive effort with a solo home run as part of a two-run fourth inning. The Saints held a 3–0 advantage before North Park answered with three runs in the fifth to even the game.
Blake Bullis (Inver Grove Heights, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall HS) started on the mound and worked 4 2/3 innings, striking out three while inducing eight groundouts. Luke Kamon (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) and Payden Joyce (Parker, Co/Lutheran HS) combined for 4 1/3 innings of relief, recording five strikeouts without issuing a walk.
Offensively, the Saints totaled eight hits. Isaiah finished with a home run and a double while scoring twice. Luke Krull (Greenville, WI/Xavier HS) added two hits, including a leadoff double in the fourth inning, and Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) drove in two runs while swiping two bases.
North Park pushed across the go-ahead run in the ninth inning to secure the 5–4 victory.
In game two, St. Scholastica again jumped in front early but Benedictine responded with timely offense to claim a 9–6 win.
The Saints scored three runs in the first inning, taking advantage of walks and a wild pitch before Tyler Tiedeman (Las Vegas, NV/Faith Lutheran HS) capped the frame with a solo home run to left field.
Benedictine answered with three runs in the fourth inning to take a 4–3 lead and later added three more in the seventh to extend the margin.
St. Scholastica continued to push back offensively. Luke Krull (Greenville, WI/Xavier HS) drew an RBI walk and Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) followed with an RBI single during a two-run seventh inning to pull the Saints within two runs.
The Saints added another run in the eighth when Max Israel (Cottage Grove, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) delivered an RBI single to make it a one-run game, but Benedictine responded with two runs in the ninth to secure the win.
Tiedeman led the Saints with a home run, double, and RBI, while Spicer finished with two hits and a run driven in. Owen Maslowski (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater Area HS) also added two hits after entering the game as a pinch hitter.
St. Scholastica concludes the spring break portion of its schedule with an 8–5 overall record. The Saints are scheduled to return to action at home on March 26 against North Central at Wade Stadium in Duluth, weather permitting.
