04/29/07

St. Scholastica used 26 different players of whom 12 rapped out 18 hits leading to their 24-10 win over the visiting LumberJacks from Northland College in a Sunday afternoon conference match-up at Wade Stadium.

The Saints picked up runs in the first, second, third, and fourth innings to jump out to an 11-0 lead and give starter Chad Weiss more than a comfortable cushion to work with.

Weiss (3-1) picked up the win after pitching five innings of scoreless ball. He allowed only four hits, walked two, and struck out eight. Northland (6-18, 5-10 UMAC) starter Bryce Szymanski took the loss to drop to 0-3.

Junior Blake Eller had a 3-for-5 day and scored three runs to, figuratively, lead the Saints at the plate.

Seniors Sean Tracy and Mike Lewis, and sophomores Dan Lanari and Kyle Wojtysiak each had two hits for St. Scholastica (29-5, 15-1 UMAC). Wojtysiak finished the day with a pair of doubles that collected four RBI.

In a game that saw 13 hits batsmen — but only 10 walks — the Saints moved around the bases often without putting bat to ball.

Senior Nate Riess was 0-for-2 but scored twice after being hit twice. Freshman Steve Gerten reached first base once after being hit and twice more on walks and came around to score three runs for the Saints while not registering a hit or an official at-bat.

Ten errors between the two teams (six by Northland, four by the Saints) accounted for nine unearned runs in the lengthy (three hours, 10 minutes) game.

The win over the ’Jacks gives the Saints a season sweep of Northland after taking both games of a doubleheader in Ashland, Wis., last Tuesday.

Next up for the Saints will be a home doubleheader on Tuesday, May 1, against the sixth-ranked team in the nation, St. Olaf College. Game one of the twin bill is slated for a 4 p.m. start.