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Oles clinch their third straight MIAC Conference Tournament bid

Lars Finanger
May 2, 2002

On Wednesday in St. Cloud, St. Olaf clinched their third straight MIAC Conference Tournament bid with their sweep over St. John's.

In the first game, the visiting Oles broke a scoreless tie in the fifth when they erupted for five runs. After Lars Finanger's (Sr, Decorah, Iowa) two out double, Joe Hammond (Sr, Nellsville, WI) stroked a single down the left-field line scoring Finanger and giving the Oles their first lead of the game. Hammond then moved to third on Kevin Quame's (Sr, Benson, MN) single to right and scored when Brian Sprout's (Sr, Lake City, MN) grounder was misfielded by the shortstop. Dan LaManna (Sr, South St. Paul, MN) followed with an RBI single scoring Quame and Brad Baglien (So, Arden Hills, MN) increased the lead to 5-0 with his RBI double scoring both Sprout and LaManna.

The Johnnies scored twice in the bottom of the fifth, closing the gap to 5-2. However, the Oles struck back for two more runs in the sixth, pushing the score to 7-2. With one out, Steve Ryan (Sr, South St. Paul, MN) singled to center, stole second, moved to third on a Finanger single, and scored on Dan Norsten's (So, Eagen, MN) pinch hit single. After advancing to second on Norsten's single, Finanger scored on a Quame double.

Aaron Koppen (Sr, Pine City, MN) started on the mound and picked up the win. Koppen worked five innings before Charlie Ruud (So, Cannon Falls, MN) polished off the Johnnies in the sixth and seventh innings. The hurlers combined to allow only four Johnnie hits while striking out eight.

Ryan, Finanger, and Quame each had two of the Oles ten hits.

Dan LaManna set the offensive tone in the second game, belting out five hits, including four singles and a two-run homer, as the Oles coasted to a 16-1 win.

All eleven Ole hitters connected for at least one hit in the 20 hit parade. The Oles scored runs in every inning but the sixth enroute to their convincing victory.

After scoring one run in the first inning, the Oles added three more in both the second and third innings. Ryan led off the second with a single and scored on Jon Nymo's RBI double. Nymo scored on Quame's double and LaManna's second single scored Quame.

With one out in the third, Joe Pavelko (So, Richfield, MN) singled to set the table for Ryan's two-run homer. After a Finanger fly out, Nymo drew a two-out walk, stole second, and scored on a Quame single, boosting the score to 7-0.

LaManna and Mike Ludwig each belted two-run homers to right field in the fifth.

The Johnnies scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth on back to back doubles from Jamie Louwagie and Jed Riegelman. The two doubles were two of three hits surrendered by Ole starter Erik Goodmanson (Sr, Albert Lea, MN). Louwagie connected for his second double in the sixth off the right-hander.

Goodmanson worked six complete innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight. Will Huepenbecker (Fy, Madison, WI) worked the seventh, preserving the Ole victory.

Along with LaManna's 5-for-6, 3 RBI performance, Sprout, Baglien, Ludwig, Ryan, and Quame each had two hits to lead the offensive attack.

With the sweep the Oles improved to 15-3 in conference and 22-10 overall. The wins clinched a bid in the hottly contested MIAC Tournament to be played in Dundas starting on May 10th. With the losses, St. John's slipped to 8-8 in conference play and 14-17 overall, falling out of playoff contention.

St. Olaf remains in first place heading into their final doubleheader on Saturday, May 4th against the 6-12 Carelton Knights. The Knights swept Bethel College on Wednesday.

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