Baseball splits close games with Warhawks

W, 3-0; L, 3-8

UW-Whitew. (M), March 08, 2012

Sophomore right hander Steve Maher threw a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts as the No. 25-ranked Tommies (4-2) shutdown the No. 6-rank Whitewater Warhawks (2-2), 3-0 in the opener of Thursday's Metrodome baseball doubleheader. Coming into the contest, the Tommies were (2-5) against Whitewater dating back to 2008, Maher's spectacular game 1 performance is the first complete game shutout of the 2012 season and the most impressive by a Tommie since Matt Schuld two-hit shutout the St. Scholastica Saints on (3/1/09).

Maher didn't allow a runner past first base and walked only one as he won his second consecutive start over a nationally-ranked team. J.D. Dorgan had two hits and singled home Tim Kuzniar with two-outs in the first inning; Nick Reichert had two hits and doubled home a run in the fourth inning and Sam Miller's sac fly scored the insurance tally in the seventh inning.

In game two, the Tommies erased a 3-0 sixth-inning deficit and scored two in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, but Whitewater scored five runs in the top of the eighth and won 8-3

UST left 12 runners stranded on base, 11 in the first seven innings. In the seventh, the Tommies had two outs and a runner at first, still trailing 3-1, Dan Reichert and Charles Bruchu singled to load the bases. Down to his last pitch, Nick Reichert coaxed a bases loaded walk to make it 3-2. Pinch-hitter John Means followed and was hit by pitch to tie the game.

In the top of the eighth, a wild pitch allowed the first Warhawk batter to reach after a strikeout, then a single and a throwing error loaded the bases with none out. Whitewater then broke it open with three hits and a sacrifice fly. Despite the loss the Tommies showed promising signs of early season resistance yet again, their seventh inning rally was the second-time in two weeks that UST has comeback to either tie or a win a game in the last inning.

Ben Podobinski went 4-for-5 in game two with a stolen bases and reached base five times on the night. Charles Bruchu was 2 for 4 and Nick Reichert had three hits on the night.

St. Thomas plays UW-Oshkosh on Tuesday at 11:45 AM in the last of their four scheduled double-header at the Metrodome before heading south to Winter Haven Florida on Friday.

Game Notes: UST Freshman Kelvin Stroik and Colin Wendinger both made their respective collegiate debuts on Thursday night against Whitewater...Catcher J.D. Dorgan has now thrown-out five attempted base-stealers in six games this season after gunning down all of six runners last spring...John Licht made his 34th career appearance on Thursday night, the most of any current MIAC pitchers....The Tommie pitching staff now has 3 complete games, one shutout and 47 strikeouts in 43 innings in just six games all against nationally ranked opponents...Despite playing less games than their MIAC opponents to date, the Tommies lead the conference in stolen bases (11) and runners caught stealing (5)...

Click here for Game 1 box score:

http://www.tommiesports.com/bsbl/stats/3-8-bb1.htm

Click here for Game 2 box score:

http://www.tommiesports.com/bsbl/stats/3-8-bb2.htm

Next Event

Team Stats

Dorgan

N. Reichert

Kuzniar

Podobinski

University of St. Thomas Athletics