03/13/07

Freshman Steve Gerten -- making his first collegiate start for the Saints -- worked six and two-thirds innings without surrendering a hit and needed one more out to complete the no-hitter. Unfortunately for Gerten, that batter broke his no-hit bid but it was inconsequential to the outcome as St. Scholastica routed the Pequots of Mitchell (Conn.) College 19-0 on Tuesday night in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Gerten received a bevy of run support from the opening inning as the Saints pushed six runs across the plate in the first inning, then seven more in the second to open a 13-0 lead before Gerten had broken a sweat.

The Saints accumulated only 12 hits in the contest but their patient batters worked Pequot pitchers for 16 walks.

Junior Blake Eller had three of the Saints' 12 hits, going 3-for-3 on the day while picking up four RBI and scoring a pair of runs. Senior Daryl Fuchihara finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, and sophomore Kyle Wojtysiak was also 2-for-3 and collected one RBI while scoring three runs.

Gerten was the star of the show, though, as he overpowered Mitchell into the final inning, surrendering only one hit and three walks while fanning nine. Freshman Dan Lanari relieved Gerten after the no-hit bid was broken, and finished off the game with one final out.

The Saints upped their record to 5-3 on the year and have now won three in a row. They'll take a day off on Wednesday before stepping back onto the field Thursday with a scheduled doubleheader against Cazenovia (N.Y.) College.