ST. PAUL, Minn. — The College of St. Scholastica baseball team opened MIAC play with a split at Macalester on Monday, taking game one 5–4 before falling 3–2 in game two. Originally scheduled to be played in Duluth, the conference-opening doubleheader was moved to Nicholson Field due to field conditions. The Saints now sit at 11–7 overall and 1–1 in MIAC play.
In the opener, the Saints rallied late to secure a 5–4 win in a back-and-forth contest. After falling behind 2–0 in the first inning, St. Scholastica chipped away, getting on the board in the second on an RBI fielder's choice from Tommy Crupi (Gilbert, AZ/San Tan Charter).
The Saints broke through in the sixth, stringing together three runs to take a 4–2 lead. Finley Spicer's (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) single set the table before Max Israel (Cottage Grove, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) delivered an RBI knock, and Tyler Tiedeman (Las Vegas, NV/Faith Lutheran HS) followed with a two-run single up the middle to give CSS its first lead of the day.
Macalester answered with two runs in the seventh to even the score, but the Saints had the final response. In the ninth, Caden Hall (West Union, WV/Gilmer County High School) reached and later stole home on a throwing error, providing the decisive run.
Spicer led the Saints offensively with two hits and two runs scored, while Tiedeman drove in a pair. On the mound, Zack Hlinsky (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) worked the first three innings before Blake Bullis (Inver Grove Heights, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall HS) and Luke Kamon (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) bridged to Ethan Zimmerman (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS), who earned the win with two scoreless innings in relief.
Game two saw the Saints push late again, but this time came up just short in a 3–2 loss.
Macalester struck early with two runs in the first inning, capitalizing on walks and a two-RBI single. The Scots added another run in the fourth to build a 3–0 advantage.
The Saints broke through in the sixth when Markus Isaiah (Centralia, IL/Centralia HS) doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)). CSS added another run in the seventh, as Luke Krull (Greenville, WI/Xavier HS) delivered an RBI single to bring the Saints within one.
St. Scholastica had the tying run on base in the seventh but could not complete the comeback. Isaiah led the offense with two doubles, while Krull added an RBI.
Jonathan Stoeckle (Fresno, CA/Clovis West HS) took the loss after allowing three runs in three innings, while the bullpen of Michael Zunker (Ashland, WI/Ashland HS), Nico Gallegos (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS), and Payden Joyce (Parker, Co/Lutheran HS) combined to keep the Saints within striking distance over the final four innings.
The Saints are scheduled to return to action Saturday at Carleton, though those games could be impacted by forecasted winter weather. Updates will be provided if any schedule changes are necessary.
