DULUTH, Minn. -- The St. Scholastica baseball team split a pivotal MIAC doubleheader with Gustavus Adolphus on Tuesday at Wade Stadium, keeping their postseason hopes alive while eliminating the Gusties from playoff contention.
Gustavus took the opener in a back-and-forth 8-7 contest, despite a strong start from the Saints. St. Scholastica plated three runs in the first inning and carried a 4-2 lead through two, with RBI hits from Finley Spicer (Aberdeen, N.C./Union Pines HS (Limestone University)) and Tommy Crupi (Gilbert, AZ/San Tan Charter) helping fuel the early offense.
The Gusties answered with a five-run stretch across the fourth and fifth innings to swing momentum, but the Saints refused to go away. St. Scholastica scored in the sixth and again in the seventh to pull within one, and had the tying run standing on third base in the final frame before Gustavus closed the door. The Saints totaled 12 hits in the loss, with Luke Krull (Greenville, WI/Xavier HS) going 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a triple, while Spicer and Damian Tamayo-Vera each added multi-hit efforts.
The Saints responded in game two with a 7-5 victory, using a pair of big innings to secure the split. After falling behind 3-0, St. Scholastica broke through with three runs in the fourth before erupting for four more in the fifth to take control. Max Israel (Cottage Grove, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) and Andrew Beffel (Highlands Ranch, CO/Mountain Vista HS) each drove in runs during the rally, while Crupi delivered a key two-run double to tie the game.
On the mound, the Saints settled in after the early deficit. Luke Kamon (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) earned the win in relief, and Blake Bullis (Inver Grove Heights, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall HS) locked down the final five outs to seal the victory. Beffel and Israel each recorded multi-hit performances as part of a 10-hit effort in the nightcap.
With the split, St. Scholastica moves to 18-16 overall and remains in the hunt for one of the four MIAC playoff spots. The Saints will need to sweep Concordia on Saturday, along with a Carleton win over Saint Mary's, to keep their postseason hopes alive.
