Given the way the weather has been here the past month, you may find it hard to believe that winter will ever end. However, when the bats and gloves come out, you know itıs springtime and baseball season is upon us.

Such was the case with the St. Olaf baseball team, who opened the 2001 season Sunday at the Metrodome with a pair of wins over the University of Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 and 2-1.

Junior Scott Stadsklev pitched five solid innings for the Oles before being replaced by junior Reid Rose midway through the sixth inning of the first game.

First-year Joe Pavelko drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth and the Oles held on for a 5-4 win. The Oles managed just four hits, but St. Olafıs solid defense and pitching helped lead them to the victory.

The second game proved to be more of a defensive struggle than the first. Senior Nick Beissel provided the game-winning run in the top of the fifth with a monstrous home run to give the Oles a 2-1 lead.

First-year pitcher Charlie Ruud pitched brilliantly in his first collegiate game giving up only one hit and one run in 68 pitches while going the distance for the Oles. Once again, the Oles only managed 4 hits, but Ruudıs pitching and St. Olafıs defense led them to their second victory of the season.

"As far as my first college game goes, baseball is baseball," said Ruud afterwards. "I'm not going to lie, I had big-time butterflies before the first pitch, but I tried to go about the game the same as I have in the past: Just throw strikes, mix it up, and let the defense do the work. It was definitely a thrill to start out with a good performance and have some fun in the Metrodome."

The Oles were definitely happy to start the season out so well, but were not completely satisfied.

"It feels good to start out the season on a winning note again," said Beissel. "We played well enough to win both games, but there is plenty of room for improvement."

"We only had eight hits in the two games combined," Beissel added. "It was our first series of the year and our first chance at seeing live pitching outside of batting cages in the fieldhouse. Our hitting will definitely improve as the season goes on."

St. Olaf appears to be well on their way to another outstanding season. Although baseball fever is coming over the campus, you'll have to wait until after spring break to catch the Oles in action here on the Hill. The Oles open up their home schedule on Apr. 4 against their arch rivals from the University of St. Thomas.

The Oles will be looking to avenge their loss to St. Thomas last year in the region finals and gain an advantage over their closest competitor for a repeat MIAC title.