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Oles to Championship with wins over Concordia, St. Thomas

Le Ann Finger
May 9, 2003

The St. Olaf baseball team moved to the MIAC Tournament Championship with victories in the opening rounds Friday night in Northfield and Dundas, Minn. behind stellar pitching performances from Eric Tobias (FY, Prescott, Wis.) and Charlie Ruud (Jr., Cannon Falls, Minn.).

The Oles beat Concordia 5-3 in the first round and regular season champion St. Thomas 3-1 in the nightcap.

St. Olaf will play at 2 p.m. against the winner of Saint John's and St. Thomas Saturday in Dundas. The Johnnies eliminated Concordia 5-3 in the second round. The loser's bracket winner will have to beat the Oles twice to claim the title.

In the second round win over the Tommies, Tobias allowed no earned runs, just two hits and struck out six in 7 2/3 strong innings for the win. Matt Green (So., Minneapolis, Minn./South) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth, and finished the game to earn the save.

Brad Baglien (Jr., Arden Hills, Minn.) and Danny Johnson (Jr, Cambridge, Minn.) had RBI flyouts in the first and fourth inning to lead the Ole offense. Jeff Hudson's double in the eighth drove in St. Olaf's final run.

Joe Pavelko (Jr., Richfield, Minn.) was 3-for-4 and Mike Ludwig (Sr., Blaine, Minn.) 2-for-5 for the Oles, who outhit the Toms 11-3.

In the opening round win over Concordia, Ruud pitched a complete game, shutting out the Cobbers over the last six innings. Rudd struck out 10 and walked just two.

Pavelko broke a 3-3 tie with a two RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. The Oles tied the game on a Tony De La Hunt (So., Apple Valley, Minn.) single in the sixth.

Brett Thoreson (FY, W. St. Paul, Minn.) drove in the other two St. Olaf runs, going 2-for-2.

Contact Le Ann Finger at 507-786-3315 or finger@stolaf.edu.