04/26/07

St. Scholastica lost their first UMAC game of the season -- and first in 37 consecutive regular-season outings -- in a surprising fashion on Thursday afternoon in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Bethany Lutheran College.

The second place UMAC team held the Saints to only one run on six hits, 10 runs below their season average of 11 runs per game.

The other shocking part of the loss was the walk-off homerun given up by one of the Saints' staff aces.

St. Scholastica had surrendered only three homeruns all season, and relief pitcher Adian Kummet wasn't responsible for any of the three.

While the Saints were having trouble getting to Viking's starter Trevor Vaubel (6.2 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts), Saints starter Mark Erickson was as much in control of the Bethany Lutheran batters.

Erickson went five and two-thirds innings and allowed only one unearned run on six hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. After surrendering a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth, Kummet relieved Erickson and was able to close out the inning with a strikeout after allowing a single.

The Saints got on the board first with a run in the third. Blake Eller singled, stole second, then scored on Steve Kraushaar's single that put the Saints up 1-0.

Bethany Lutheran's unearned run in the bottom of the sixth evened things up, though, and provided the stage for the dramatics of the final inning.

With two outs, both by strikeout, Kummet looked to be shutting down an opponent like he's done so often this year. A 93-mph fastball over the plate changed things in a hurry as Vikings catcher Aaron Jerdee connected and sent the Saints to defeat in an unexpected manner.

The Saints (25-5, 11-1 UMAC) still retain their lead over the Vikings (18-10, 11-2) in the league standings with the split of Thursday's doubleheader, winning game one of the two game set by an 8-0 score.