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Box Score
Morris, Minn. – There was more than one team in the state winning their home opener today (Apr. 8), as the Minnesota Morris baseball team scored an impressive 9-4 win over Crown in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) action.
Morris (2-9, 1-0 UMAC) scored three runs each in the second, third and sixth innings, while racking up 12 hits in the process, their second best tally of the season.
Crown (0-10, 0-6 UMAC) meanwhile was plagued by three errors while striking out seven times on the day.
Cougar starter Nick Perrotte (Aruba) pitched six solid innings, scattering just three hits before handing the game over to his bullpen to finish things up. Perrotte allowed just one run on the day, and allowed just one walk while fanning six.
The Storm capitalized on the pitching change, getting three of their four runs over the seventh and eighth, after Jake Johnson (Stanchfield, Minn.) came in to relieve Perrotte. After Johnson, Ted Gray (Long Prairie, Minn.) pitched a shutout ninth to close out the win, allowing just a harmless hit and walk.
The Cougar offense got to Storm starter Adam Jeska to the tune of 11 hits, scoring all nine runs during his seven innings of work.
Eight Cougars finished the day with at least one hit, with Dustin Sauter (Morris, Minn.), Drew Lundquist (North Branch, Minn.), Mike McGill (Omaha, Neb.) and Jordan Gegen (Anoka, Minn.) leading the way with two each. Perrotte also went a long way to help his own cause, finishing the day with one hit, a run scored and a game high two RBI.
Ian Olson (Granite Falls, Minn.) was the only player to finish the day without a hit, but still led the team with two runs scored, reaching base by the benefit of an error and a ball to the back shoulder. Lundquist joined him with two runs scored as well.
The Cougars open the UMAC season 1-0, finally get back on the field after weeks of cancellations and postponements. This weekend's series was originally scheduled to be a home series for Crown, but the Storm's home field was unplayable and just yesterday the coaches agreed to play the games in Morris.
The Cougars score their first win since splitting a doubleheader on the opening day of the season, and will look to get a couple more as they continue the series with the Storm with a doubleheader tomorrow (Apr. 9), beginning at 10:30 a.m.
