04/02/07

Starter Mark Erickson allowed just two singles over six inning of scoreless ball to lead the Saints in their 6-0 win over Northwestern College in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader on Monday afternoon in St. Paul.

Erickson picked up his second win of the season after pitching six innings without surrendering a walk or run while sitting down six Eagles via strikeouts. Steve Gerten came on in relief in the seventh to close out the win for Erickson and the Saints.

As in control as Erickson and Gerten were, Eagles starter Leif Borg was just the opposite walking the first four batters of the game.

St. Scholastica is well-practiced at putting pressure on pitchers while on the base baths and when Chad Weiss opened the game with a walk and stolen base, the pressure-cooker had begun.

Blake Eller reached an open first base with a walk and then Steve Kraushaar and Mike Lewis followed with free passes to put the Saints ahead 1-0 without a batted ball. Sean Claugherty brought Eller in with a sacrifice fly to center and just like that, the Saints were up 2-0 -- without a hit.

Those were all the runs Erickson and Gerten would need in St. Scholastica's 12th win in a row.

Keith Ritsche added a solo homerun in the fourth and later that inning Chad Weiss would reach base on a walk and score on a Kraushaar double, yet another example of efficiency at the plate for a Saints offense that is averaging more than 11 runs per game thus far this season.

Kraushaar finished the day 3-for-3 with a walk and a double, scored once and had one RBI. Brandon Swartz was the only other Saint with a multi-hit game, lashing two doubles to left field and picking up a pair of RBI with his hit in the seventh.

The Saints (14-3, 2-0 UMAC) and Eagles (10-8, 0-2 UMAC) will complete the day's doubleheader with the third and final game of the three-game series.