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Baseball opens with 9-6 win over SMU, drops game two in 11 innings

Le Ann Finger
April 24, 2003

The St. Olaf baseball team scored a combined eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings to capture a game one victory 9-6, but fell in 11 innings in game two 3-2 to Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minn. Wednesday.

In game one, Jeff Hudson (FY, Northfield, Minn.) was 3-for-5 with four RBI to propel the comeback win.

Saint Mary's broke a 1-1 tie when Pat Gornick hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth. The Oles countered with a two-out, four run rally in the top of the fifth to tie the game, and another four run outburst in the sixth to claim the win.

Mike Ludwig (Sr., Blaine, Minn) was 2-for-4 with 3 RBI and Larry Nava (So., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Durham Hall) was 2-for-2 with two runs, two walks and a stolen base in the win.

Jon Haugen (Jr., Mahtomedi, Minn.) earned the victory, working a perfect 2 1/3 innings, striking out four.

Haugen's day was far from over. After a strong outing from first-year Eric Tobias (Prescott, Minn.) in game two, Haugen worked five straight scoreless innings, striking out seven, before giving up the game winning run in the 11th.

The Oles pounded 11 hits, but could only muster two runs on a Brett Thoreson (FY, W. St. Paul, Minn.) homerun in the second. Thoreson finished 3-for-4. St. Olaf stranded 13 runners, eight in the first four innings, in the loss.

St. Olaf is now three games back of first place, in the loss column, at 10-4 in MIAC play. Concordia and St. Thomas are 11-1.

The Oles host six home games next week when Augsburg visits Sunday, Saint John's Thursday and Carleton Saturday. The Johnnies are a game back of St. Olaf for third place. The top four teams qualify for the MIAC Tournament, which takes place May 9-11 in Dundas, Minn.

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