UW-Stout 6, St. Thomas 2 |
UW-Stout 16, St. Thomas 4ST. PAUL, Minn (April 11, 2015) - It's amazing what a little change in scenery will do.
After field conditions were unplayable at UW-Stout's Nelson Field Saturday, the Blue Devils were forced to move their game with nationally ranked St. Thomas to the Tommies' home field. The Blue Devils (12-7) had little trouble sweeping the series, jumping out to early leads in both games on their way to wins of 6-2, 16-4.
The Tommies (15-7) entered the day ranked fourth by the Americah Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and 10th in the D3baseball.com poll.
Stout got solid pitching performances from starters
Kellen Pearson (Jr, Hudson) and
Patrick Gullickson (Jr, Chanhassen, Minn) and timely and big-time performances offensively at the plate.
Pearson went six innings, scattering five hits in game one, allowing one earned run, striking out three and walking only one. Gullickson, starting his first game of the season and picking up his first win of the season, worked five inning, allowing five hits and three earned runs.
Stout took a 5-0 lead in the first game, scoring three times in the first and twice in the second before the Tommies got on the board. After a scoreless first inning by both teams, Stout scored five runs in the second inning, then scored two in the third and three in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Noah Brown (So, Forest Lake, Minn) was one of several Blue Devils with big days at the plate. Brown went 0-3 in game one, but drove in two runs. He was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded early in the game, then drove in a run with a fielder's choice.
But it was in the second game where Stout - and Brown in particular - shined at the plate. Eight of the Blue Devil starters recorded a hit and eight Blue Devil starters recorded at least one RBI. Brown pounded out three triples, one in each of his first two trips to the plate and went 4-for-4 with an RBI.
Brady Burzynski (Jr, Eau Claire) and
Nick Nalbach (Sr, Plover) each recorded three RBI, with Burzynski getting his in one swing of the bat with a three run shot in the sixth inning. Nalbach, who was 3-for-4 in game one with an RBI, was 3-for-4 in game two.
Jack Schneider (Sr, Minneapolis, Minn) was 2-for-3 in the opener and 2-for-5 in game two with two RBI.
Hunter Dicus (So, Elk Mound) had an RBI in both games and was 2-for-5 in game two.
Ryan Connor (Fr, Fall Creek) cracked out his first collegiate home run, hitting a solo shot in the first game, then followed that up with a 2-for-4, two RBI performance in game two.
Stout returns to St. Paul, Minn., Sunday, April 12 when they will play at Macalester College. The doubleheader gets underway at 1 p.m.
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