University of St. Thomas Athletics
Carleton
Fri. MIAC Baseball: Toms win 15-3; game 2 rained out
5/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
No. 8-ranked St. Thomas blew open a close game with 14 runs in their last three at-bats en route to a 15-3 victory over Carleton in Friday's first-round MIAC baseball playoff game in Dundas.
Friday night's 7 p.m. games were postponed by rain and will be played Saturday at 1 p.m.
Senior Dan Leslie had four hits and Tom Wipller had three for the Tommies (30-8), who will face St. Olaf in a winners' bracket game in Dundas.
The Oles scored an 11-3 win over Hamline. Carleton and Hamline play a 1 p.m. elimination game at Sechlar Park in Northfield. The St. Olaf-St. Thomas loser faces the Carleton-Hamline winner at 5 p.m. in an elimination game.
UST sent 11 men to the plate in the sixth innning and sent nine to bat in the seventh and had 15 hits over the first seven innings.
The Tommies secured a 30-win season for the 13th time in 14 years. Since losing game one at Carleton on April 25, UST has won seven of its last eight games.
Coach Dennis Denning's Tommies improved to 9-0 all-time in MIAC tourney first-round games held on Friday.
In the sixth inning with the score tied 1-1, Wippler doubled, and one out later Matt Olson walked. Louie Salmen had an RBI single; Ben Wartman had an RBI single but Salmen was tagged out between third base and home. After Matt McQuillan walked, Leslie had his third hit, an RBI single. Brian Schmitz was hit by a pitch, and Roy Larson followed with a two-run single. Wippler added his second hit of the inning, an RBI single.
Larson's three-run homer capped a five-run seventh inning to give UST a 10-run cushion.
Freshman Bryce Gapinski held the Knights to two runs in 6 2-3 innings as he improved his season record to 5-2. Freshman John Licht came on to pitch with two out and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning and the score 7-2 and got a called third strike to end the threat.
Click here for Friday box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/bsbl/stats/509miac1.htm
Click here to view more Greg Smith action photos:
Bryce Gapinski allowed two hits in 6 2-3 innings against Carleton. (Greg Smith Photo)
Larson notched five RBI in Friday's game, including a three-run homer. (Greg Smith Photo)
Matt McQuillan bats for the Tommies in Friday's 15-3 win over Carleton. (Greg Smith Photo)
Bryan Schmitz avoids the pickoff attempt against Carleton. (Greg Smith Photo)
