Saint John's (Minn.) 7, St. Scholastica (Minn.) 2
La Crosse, Wis. - Saint John's University (Minn.) earned a 7-2 victory over The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) in the opening game Wednesday at the NCAA Division III Baseball Midwest Regional at Copeland Park. St. John's (Minn.) improves to 29-12 on the season. The Johnnies advance to play the winner of UW-La Crosse/Beloit College (Wis.) Thursday, May 19 at 4:30 p.m. St. Scholastica (Minn.) falls to 31-10 on the year and will play in an elimination game Thursday, May 14 at 10 a.m. versus the loser of UW-La Crosse/Beloit (Wis.).
Saint John's (Minn.) struck first in the top of the second inning. Patrick Strey walked to open the frame. Then with one out, Jack Wingerd hit his first home run of the season to right field to give the Johnnies a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Saint John's (Minn.) added a run on three hits. Logan Hershey singled with the bases loaded to drive in Gabe McDonald to make it 3-0. Max Jackson drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth scoring Wingerd to make it 4-0, and in the seventh, Hershey's solo home run gave Saint John's (Minn.) a 5-0 lead.
St. Scholastica (Minn.) got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Steven Neutzling singled to right with the bases loaded to drive in two runs, cutting the lead to 5-2. After a walk again loaded the bases for the Saints, Nick Noack came in for Saint John's (Minn.) starter Alex Kendall. Noack struck out Trevor Bernsdorf to end the threat.
In the top of the eighth, Saint John's (Minn.) got a run back to make it 6-2. Dan Keller singled with one out, stole second, and scored on a throwing error on a ground ball later in the inning. The Saints threatened later in the inning after a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. Noack pitched out of trouble, ending the inning with a strikeout of Brian Minks.
Saint John's (Minn.) added an insurance run in the ninth as Hershey scored on a Keller sacrifice fly.
Kendall (7-2) earned the win for Sain John's (Minn.), pitching 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked four batters. Noack pitched the remaining 2.1 to pick up his fourth save. He allowed two hits and struck out four while walking one batter.
Hershey went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Keller was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run while Wingerd had a home run, two RBI, and two runs for the Johnnies.
Jordan Risse (7-1) suffered the loss for St. Scholastica (Minn.), pitching 7.0 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. He struck out 10 and walked four. Neutzling went 2-for-5 with two RBI while Austin Colvard went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Saints.
