St. Scholastica, ranked #9 in division III, swept three games from the Cougars over the weekend in Duluth. Solid pitching held UMM to a combined 10 hits in three games.
Due to rain in the forecast, the teams played a doubleheader on Friday and just one game on Saturday. The original schedule called for the opposite.
Game 1 Box
The Cougars played well in game 1 with no errors. Starting pitcher
Jordan Gegen gave up some early runs, but finished with three scoreless innings. However, UMM could not solve the Saints' Steve Gerten, who pitched a four-hitter and gave up a lone run in the first inning. CSS prevailed 6-1.
In the top of the first, back to back doubles from shortstop
Matt Peterson and second baseman
Ian Olson gave the Cougars an early score. They were positioned for more runs, but left three stranded on base.
The Saints answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and four more in the third inning. Gerten helped his own cause with a two-run blast.
Game 2 Box
In game 2, the Saints bashed out 18 runs in the first inning, cruising to a 19-0 win.
Starting pitcher
Kyle Blair and
Nate Haseman struggled to contain the Saints, going a combined 2 2/3 innings. Junior Tom Fox would reign in the CSS offense, closing the game with three innings of two-hit ball.
Meanwhile, the Saints' pitching stifled the Cougar bats. Three pitchers combined for a three-hitter, led by junior Matt Lewis who allowed only one UMM runner to reach third base (
Josh Ledin in the second).
Game 3 Box
The Saints completed the three-game sweep on Saturday with a 12-2 victory. Again, they used early runs to separate from the Cougars.
Starting pitcher
Lee Arvold gave up nine runs in three innings before handing over to
Ted Gray.
The Saints used three pitchers again to combine on a three-hitter. Senior starterJeff Adams went four innings, giving up one hit.
The losses drop UMM to 6-20 overall, but more importantly 5-10 in the UMAC, leaving them two games out of fourth place, the final spot for a postseason birth.
UMM hosts North Central University this Tuesday for a doubleheader.