Two walk-off wins highlight day two of UMAC baseball; Saints, Vikings to meet in championship Saturday
DULUTH, Minn.---In a departure from the opening day of action at the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) baseball tournament, Friday's games provided much closer final scores and set up a championship Saturday with undefeated No. 1 College of St. Scholastica taking on a No. 2 Bethany Lutheran College squad that escaped elimination on a walk-off win Friday night.
The day started with No. 3 University of Northwestern putting together a seven-run comeback 10-9 walk-off win to eliminate No. 5 University of Wisconsin-Superior. Then, St. Scholastica won 4-2 to put Bethany Lutheran in the elimination game where it returned the favor to Northwestern and sent the Eagles home packing for good.
|
Tournament Site |
Game Four |
Game Five |
Game Six |
Game 4 - No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 5 Wisconsin-Superior, 10-9 |
Box Score |
With elimination looming, the opening game of the second day of the tournament started off looking like it could be closely contested throughout. However, No. 5 Wisconsin-Superior exploded offensively just past the midway point as they hoped to avenge two regular season losses. No. 3 Northwestern had other plans and strung together an impressive comeback in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off 10-9 win to remain alive and play on.
The opening three innings started off as a defensive duel with both teams shutting out the other at the plate. After a quiet start, the fourth inning was full of intensity as both squads plated three runs. Wisconsin-Superior stated off first with a RBI single from Cory Albertson. Two batters later, Matt Boyde cranked a two-run home run to right center giving the Yellowjackets.
The Eagles responded immediately with a lead-off double from Caleb Piersma before Nathan Ehnstrom hit a double to bring Piersma and Aaron Krahn across for two. Ehnstrom then scored on a sacrifice fly from Bradley Spencer to tie the game at 3-3.
Both teams went quiet again until the seventh when the Yellowjackets poured in four runs to make it 7-3. Alex Osness started the scoring off with a two-run home run bringing Brandon Rolf in. Greg Pitts and Jordan Berrios then lined up back-to-back singles to set up a two-RBI double from Albertson. In the top of the eight, the Yellowjackets added two more runs scored on a wild pitch and a double from Stephen Albertson to make it 9-3.
Just when the game seemed out of reach, the Eagles dug down deep to put together the beginning of their epic comeback. In the bottom of the eighth Enhstrom generated some energy with a lead-off single before Carlton Lindow followed up with a double. Andrew Simonson then grounded out to score Ehnstrom. In the next at bat, Phillip Wall entered the game as a pinch hitter and hit a single to center scoring Lindow for the fifth Eagles' run.
In relief, Carter Michaelson shut down the Yellowjackets in the top of the ninth. The Eagles' amazing comeback started with a single from Piersma and a double from Krahn. Piersma crossed home on a wild pitch and Krahn came home on a single from Ehnstrom to make it 9-7.
After a pitching change, Spencer was walked to bring up pinch hitter Eric Peterson who singled through the left side to score Ehnstrom and put the Eagles within one. Once again, Wall was up to bat a hit the walk-off double to move the Eagles on to the night cap and send the Yellowjackets home.
Michaelson earned the win in relief allowing just two hits in two innings and surrendering no earned runs. Ehnstrom and Lindow led the Eagles offensively with three hits a piece with Ehnstrom scoring three runs and adding three RBI. Cory Albertson ended his spectacular sophomore season with two hits, three RBI and a run to lead the Yellowjackets' attack.
Game 5 - No. 1 St. Scholastica def. No. 2 Bethany Lutheran, 4-2 |
Box Score |
There was no more anticipated game of the UMAC tournament Friday than the rematch between the No. 1 Saints and No. 2 Vikings who split the regular season series and conference title last weekend. The rematch didn't disappoint as the Saints needed two runs in the bottom of the eighth to break a deadlock and get a 4-2 win to advance to the title game Saturday.
The Vikings started off the first inning threatening with two runners on after singles from Grant Becher and Diego Martiarena. The Saints responded, though, turning their first of four double plays in the game to end the threat.
The Saints wasted no time getting going in the bottom of the opener as Drew Colvard was walked and stole a base to get into scoring position. He then scored on a RBI single from Aaron Weber. Steven Neutzling then reached on fielder's choice and came across home on a single from Brad Fossum to give the Saints an early 2-0 lead.
The next two innings saw solid pitching from the Saints' Dan Hansen and the Vikings' Logan Nissen with no runs allowed. Hansen had surrendered several hits to the VIkings in both innings but it wasn't until the top of the fourth when the Vikings capitalized. Mylo Hommes was walked to start the inning and Ben Boran singled to put two runners on. John Brown laid down a solid sac bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Kevin Harris then singled up the middle to bring Hommes and Boran across the plate to tie the game 2-2.
Nissen held the Saints scoreless for four innings and Joe Gonrowski came in for the Saints in the fifth to keep the Vikings off the scoreboard. Alex Babcock came in for Nissen in the bottom of the eighth and hit the very first batter of the inning in Weber. Then, Fossum used his wheels to turn his hit into a triple and score Weber to give the Saints the lead back. Chris Olson then doubled to right center scoring Fossum to make it 4-2. Gonrowski then struck out the first Vikings' batter in the ninth before the Saints ended the game with a double play to advance to Saturday.
Colvard, Fossum and Cole Tyman each picked up two hits for the Saints to lead the offense in the victory. Gonrowski recorded the win in five shutout innings of work picking up five strikeouts. In seven innings for the Vikings, Nissen allowed just one earned run and struck out four. Becher went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Vikings.
Game 6 - No. 2 Bethany Lutheran def. No. 3 Northwestern, 2-1 |
Box Score |
No. 2 Bethany Lutheran and No. 3 Northwestern met in the nightcap Friday for the second time of the tournament with a spot in championship Saturday on the line. In opposite fashion of Thursday's offensive explosion, the two squads ensued in a pitching duel between Quinton Lindow of Northwestern and Anthony Radloff of Bethany Lutheran before the Vikings found a way to win for a 2-1 walk-off victory.
In the opening inning, Northwestern loaded the bases on two outs with a single from Michaelson and two players hit by pitch. However, as they did twice in the game, Northwestern stranded all three runners to end the inning scoreless. The Vikings led off with a hit from Martiarena before Northwestern turned a double play and got a third out to make it three-up, three-down.
Each team left one runner stranded in the third and the Vikings left another in the fourth. The Eagles had a chance with two on in the fifth but came up empty. A series of hit batters and walks loaded the bases for the Eagles in the sixth but Radloff got out of the jam striking out PIersma.
On to the seventh, each team left a runner on base without producing any runs. The tides changed for the Eagles in the eighth inning when Wall was walked and then stole second to put him scoring position. Eric Peterson then reached on a throwing error that allowed Wall to move to third. Babcock then came in to pitch and on the very first pitch Wall came home on a wild throw to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Babcock then got out of the inning striking out Piersma.
Lindow kept the Vikings off the board in the bottom of the inning, but his luck was going to wear off quickly as Vikings laid it all on the line in the bottom of the ninth. Martiarena led off with a walk before Becher hit a single that sent pinch runner Beumer to second. Hommes then hit a sac bunt to move the runners up to set up a two-RBI walk-off fielder's choice for Nick Caldeen to send the Vikings on to Saturday.
The Vikings' MVP in game two was Radloff who threw 7.2 innings and allowed just two hits, no earned runs and struck out five. Babcock then closed for the win with three strikeouts. Lindow struck out four in 8.1 innings of work for the Eagles.
Saturday's championship day will see a rematch from 2017 with the No. 1 Saints taking on the No. 2 Vikings at 1 p.m. The Vikings must win the first game to force a deciding game that would take place at 4 p.m.
Playoff Schedule
Thursday, May 10 (Day One)
Game 1 – No. 5 Wisconsin-Superior def. No. 4 Northland, 14-2 (7 inn.) |
Box Score |
NC Recap |
UWS Recap |
Game 2 – No. 2 Bethany Lutheran def. No. 3 Northwestern, 10-4 |
Box Score |
BLC Recap |
UNW Recap |
Game 3 – No. 1 St. Scholastica def. No. 5 Wisconsin-Superior, 19-4 (7 inn.) |
Box Score |
CSS Recap |
UWS Recap |
Friday, May 11 (Day Two)
Game 4 – No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 5 Wisconsin-Superior, 10-9 |
Box Score |
UNW Recap |
UWS Recap |
Game 5 – No. 1 St. Scholastica def. No. 2 Bethany Lutheran, 4-2 |
Box Score |
BLC Recap |
CSS Recap |
Game 6 – No. 2 Bethany Lutheran def. No. 3 Northwestern, 2-1 |
Box Score |
BLC Recap |
UNW Recap |
Saturday, May 12 (Day Three)
Game 7 – 1 p.m. – No. 1 St. Scholastica vs. No. 2 Bethany Lutheran |
Live Video |
Live Stats |
Game 8 – 4 p.m. – If Necessary Game (if two teams remain with one loss) |
Live Video |
Live Stats |
Event Information
The UMAC tournament has the following set admissions prices: Single Day Adult Ticket, $10; Single Day Student/Senior Ticket - $5; Adult Tournament Pass, $15; Student/Senior Tournament Pass, $7. All UMAC students, staff and faculty are FREE with valid institution ID to all games. No other passes will be accepted.
All tournament information including scores, recaps, team information and more can be found on the
UMAC Baseball Tournament page. Keep up with all of the tournament action on
Twitter and
Instagram using
#UMACchamp.
2018 Tournament Page