Gameday Recap

Recap courtesy of St. Thomas SID

ST. PAUL, Minn. (4/09/07)--No. 20-ranked St. Thomas used three solid pitching outings and swept an MIAC baseball twinbill Monday over visiting Concordia-Moorhead. UST rallied to post a 3-2 win in nine innings in game one, and won the nightcap 8-1.

St. Thomas (14-6 overall, 3-1 MIAC), down to its last out in game one, scored the tying run without a hit off two pitchers for the Cobbers (4-12,
0-2) .

Clinging to a 2-1 lead, Concordia starter Scott Schumacher got the leadoff hitter of the seventh inning. But Schumacher walked the next two batters and was relieved by Adam Johnson.

UST's Chris Bullis, who had two of the Toms' three hits, barely beat the relay on a potential game-ending double-play grounder. With two out and runners at first and third, the Cobbers tried to throw out the trail runner between first and second base, and a rundown began. UST's Chris Carino broke from third base and slid home with the tying run ahead of a high relay throw.

UST won in the bottom of the ninth as it managed two of its five hits.
Freshman Roy Larson singled, was bunted to second, took third on a ground out, and scored on freshman Tom Wippler's infield hit between third and shortstop. St. Thomas couldn't capitalize on eight walks and a hit batter and left 11 on base in the victory.

Tommie sophomore Dan Leslie battled through some early threats but retired the last 10 Cobbers he faced from the fifth through eighth innings. He started a 2-4-3 double play to end the fifth, and retired the side in order in the sixth through eighth frames. He fanned six and walked one. Bullis pitched a scoreless ninth and earned his second MIAC relief victory.

In game two, Larson went 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead a 10-hit Tommie attack. Matt Pexa, Wippler and Bullis each went 2-for-3. UST junior Lonnie Robinson allowed three hits and one walk and struck out six in five innings for the victory.

In game two Erik Olson pitched two scoreless innings of relief. In four MIAC games the Toms have allowed just 11 runs, two in 11 innings by relief pitchers.

In game two, Chris Klabo homered in the first inning and had two of the Cobbers' four hits. Matt Youngquist had two of the Cobbers' seven hits in game one.

The Tommies are scheduled to host Bethel in a Tuesday doubleheader (2:30 p.m.), while Concordia is scheduled to play at home vs. Macalester on Wednesday.