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Oles Fall to St. Thomas in MIAC Tournament

Jason Welle
May 13, 2001

St. Olaf College fell victim to defending MIAC Tournament champion University of St. Thomas this afternoon, losing 9-2 and giving the Tommies back-to-back titles. The score betrayed a very close battle in which St. Olaf actually outhit St.Thomas 9-8, but a seven-run seventh inning for St. Thomas broke the game wide open. The Tommies earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Regional Playoffs, their seventh consecutive bid; St. Olaf will have to wait at home and hope for one of the at-large bids into postseason play.

The Oles scored 31 runs in their regular season doubleheader against St. Thomas and wasted no time in attempting to repeat that feat. They loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but couldn?t capitalize, stranding all three. Unlike St. Olaf, the Tommies were able to cash in on their opportunities in the first. After opening the game with a hit batsman and a walk, Ole pitcher Aaron Koppen (Jr., Pine City, Minn.) threw a wild pitch that allowed the runners to advance to second and third. A ground ball to second scored one run before an infield hit scored a second and the Tommies took a 2-0 lead after one inning.

St. Olaf immediately tied the game, getting two runs on three hits in the top of the second. Nick Beissel (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) led the inning off with a double to right center before advancing to third on a ground out. Steve Ryan (Jr., So. St. Paul, Minn.) took a 1-1 pitch deep over the left field fence, knotting the game at two.

The score remained even until the seventh inning. Koppen set the Tommies down without too much difficulty, allowing only two hits in the next five innings and never allowing a runner beyond first base. Meanwhile, St. Olaf racked up four hits and two walks during that time, but couldn?t bunch hits together. The Oles stranded one runner in the third, two in the fourth, one in the sixth, and two in the seventh, unable to score despite relative success at the plate.

St. Thomas took all the offensive output that Koppen had bottled to that point and unleashed it in the bottom of the seventh, batting around the order in an inning for the Oles that doomed their expulsion from the tournament. Tom Carroll led off the inning with a single to right. Kyle Olson tried to sacrifice Carroll over with a bunt, but Koppen?s wild throw to first allowed him to reach safely and Carroll to scamper to third. Ryan Benson then hit a grounder to the pitcher, who threw home to prevent the run, but the catcher dropped the ball and the run scored, leaving runners at first and second and still nobody out. Tony Wolverton bunted the runners to second and third before Koppen intentionally walked pinch hitter Casey Garven. Two scored on a Nate Sundberg single to right, and a bobbled throw to the plate allowed the runners to reach second and third. Brad Bonine singled to left, scoring one and leaving runners at the corners. The Oles brought Reid Rose (Jr., Orono, Minn.) in relief and Rose gave up a double off the center field wall to Matt Buzzell, scoring two more runs and making the score 8-2. After a line out to third, Carroll got his second hit of the inning, a single up the middle, that brought Buzzell home. Rose got the next batter to fly out to right, ending an eleven-batter barrage that shattered the Oles? spirits and hopes for the tournament title. St. Thomas scored seven runs on five hits and three errors, leaving one on base.

The Oles went down 1-2-3 in the eighth. They got two baserunners in the ninth off Tommy errors, but couldn?t manage a hit, ending the game with a 9-2 score.

Koppen took the loss for St. Olaf, giving up six hits and six earned runs in six and a third innings of work. Sean Lindstrom pitched a complete game for the Tommies, allowing nine hits, but only two runs. Ryan had the most hitting success for the Oles, going three for four with two RBI and a run scored. Carroll paced Tommy batsmen, also going three for four with two RBI and a run scored. Buzzell was two for three with two RBI, two runs, and a walk. The Oles Dan LaManna (Jr., So. St. Paul), Casey Coulsen (Sr., Rosemount, Minn.), Brian Sprout (Jr., Lake City, Minn.), and Ryan were named to the All-Tournament team. Lindstrom, Buzzell, Jake Mauer, and Carroll were the Tommie selections for the All-Tournament team.

Contact Pat Buresh at 507-786-3315 or buresh@stolaf.edu.