University of St. Thomas Athletics
15-2, 2-1
Saint John's
10-10, 3-0
Baseball splits one-run games with St. John's
4/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Roy Larson's double keyed a three-run fifth-inning rally to lead host St. Thomas to a 3-2 win over St. John's and a split of Wednesday's conference baseball doubleheader at UST's Koch Diamond.
The Johnnies (10-11 overall, 3-1 MIAC) won the first game 2-1 behind Andrew Aebly's six-hitter. That snapped the No. 1-ranked Tommies' 13-game winning streak.
Aebly (3-2) fanned three and allowed no walks and no earned runs. He got a game-ending ground out with the tying run on third base.
In game two, St. Thomas senior All-American Matt Schuld improved to 4-0 on the season and 23-3 on his career as he threw a four-hitter and worked through a few early jams. Schuld is 10-0 in his last 11 starts dating back to last April 28 with eight complete games. The only game he didn't win he worked 12 innings of a 17-inning Tommie victory over UW-Stevens Point in the NCAA regional playoffs.
UST allowed just three earned runs on the day and lowered its Division III-best ERA to 2.25.
The Tommies (16-2, 3-1) trailed 2-0 but scored three runs in the fifth on one hit, a walk, a hit batter, two wild pitches and two sacrifice flies.
A stiff wind blowing in from right field helped pitchers on a day when all four batters that walked scored. All eight Johnnies hits on the day were singles. In game one, both Johnnie runs scored on two-out singles. There were no RBI hits in game two as one run scored on a wild pitch, two on ground outs, and two on sacrifice flies.
In game two, the Johnnies scored single runs in the second and third innings.
In the second, Bert Marsnik walked, took second on Max Forster's single, took third when Forster was picked off first base after a pitch in the dirt, and scored on Jimmy Loonan's RBI ground out.
In the third, the Johnnies loaded the bases with none out on a walk to Brian Skluzacek, a single by Joe Eiden, and Kyle Henkemeyer's bunt that rolled for a single. Matt Boys hit into a 6-4-3 double play but had an RBI to make it 2-0. The Johnnies stranded a runner at third on a strikeout.
SJU starter Brett Kramer faced the minnimum 12 batters and took a one-hit shutout into the fifth inning. Matt Olson reached on an infield single in the first inning but was thrown out trying to steal.
In the UST fifth, Tom Wippler was hit by pitch and took third on Larson's double into the left-field corner. A wild pitch scored Wippler and let Larson take third. Drew Cremisino walked and was lifted for pinch runner Justin Novak. Charle Bruchu's sac fly to right tied the game at 2-2 and Novak took second when the throw from the outfield sailed past the catcher. Novak took third on a wild pitch and scored what proved to be the winning run on Brady Field's sac fly to center.
UST had a runner at second with one out in the sixth but couldn't score the insurance run.
Schuld retired 11 of the last 12 batters of the game. He gave up a one-out single in the top of the seventh to Andrew Gurbada but got a line out to center and a strikeout to end the game. Schuld fanned seven but walked two, hit a batter and gave up four singles and two earned runs.
In game one, St. Thomas scored its run in the first inning as Matt McQuillan and Matt Olson both singled and McQuillan took third on a bobble by the right fielder. Olson stole second base and drew a throw, allowing McQuillan to score from third for a 1-0 lead.
The Johnnies tied the game in the second inning as a sky-high pop up blew in the wind and was erred by the Tommies and allowed Forster to reach second base. A two-out RBI single by Gurbada tied the game 1-1.
St. John's broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning on a four-pitch walk to Loonan, a sac bunt, ground out and Eiden's RBI single.
In the UST sixth, Tom Wippler's two-out double to the left-field corner put the tying run aboard but a ground out ended the threat.
In the seventh, Charles Bruchu's second hit of the day, a single, and a wild pitch put the tying run on second. Bruchu took third on a ground out but Aebly got pinch-hitter Cremisino to ground out to end the game.
UST starter Kris Edwards (4-1) struck out six and allowed one walk, one earned run and four singles in six innings. Brandon Stone fanned two and had a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
The Tommies play a conference douibleheader Saturday at Bethel.
Click here for game one box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/bsbl/stats/4-7-bb.htm
Click here for game two box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/bsbl/stats/4-7-bb2.htm
Click here to view more Greg Smith action photos:
Matt McQuillan (Greg Smith photo)
Above, Roy Larson; below, Justin Novak (Greg Smith photo)
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: A. Aebly (3-2)
L: K. Edwards (4-1)
Batting:
RBI: A. Gurbada 1 ; J. Eiden 1
SH: A. Gurbada 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M. Forster 1 ; J. Loonan 1
Batting:
2B: T. Wippler 1
RBI: M. Olson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M. McQuillan 1
SB: M. McQuillan 1 ; M. Olson 1 ; C. Bruchu 1
