Box Score

ST. PAUL -- The Northwestern College baseball team tallied 10 hits in Friday afternoon's game against the College of St. Scholastica, but the Saints strung together their 15 hits at the right time to win the first of the three-game series 8-2 at Reynolds Field.

The Eagles gave up some early runs as St. Scholastica, who is receiving votes in the latest D3baseball.com Top 25 Poll, scored one in each of the first, second and third frames, before settling into a groove and bringing some runs home themselves. Down 3-0, Northwestern scored its first run in the fifth inning as Cody Kielsa (Howard Lake, Minn./Rogers) hit an RBI single down the left field line to score Andy Haagenson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley), who was waiting on second base after hitting a double himself.

Despite a 3-1 deficit, the Purple and Gold was still in the game until a two-spot from the Saints in the seventh inning widened the gap. After Jesse Heaton walked witih two outs, Andy Schwantes doubled to left field, followed by an RBI single by Kyle Flagstad.

Northwestern's David Joseph (Kimball, Minn/Kimball) answered with a double to center field to start the bottom half of the frame, advancing on a Monte Abeler (Upsala, Minn./Upsala) groundout before coming home on Mark Meredith (Robbinsdale, Minn./Armstrong)'s single to cut the lead to 5-2. St. Scholastica saved its best for last with a three-run ninth inning, with Schwantes coming through again on an RBI triple. NWC had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before a groundout left the ducks on the pond.

Cory Larson (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) started the game on the mound for Northwestern, but exited early in the third inning due to an injury. After a slight delay due to Josh Balzer (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) warming up, the junior pitched well over the course of the remaining seven innings with a hiccup in the ninth. Larson was charged with three earned runs and the loss, while Balzer took on five runs on 12 hits. Balzer got some nice help from his defense, highlighted by Haagenson's running catch-and-throw to first base on the run at shortstop in the eighth.

Saints starter Joel Wuorio got some help from his infield too, as shortstop Jake Casareto and his teammates made some diving plays to help force 16 Eagles groundouts. Wuorio earned the win, going six and one-third innings while allowing two runs on eight hits. St. Scholastica (28-9, 19-0 UMAC) claimed the UMAC regular season championship outright with the victory.

With the loss, Northwestern drops to 24-12 overall, slipping to 15-4 in league play. Coming into Friday's contest, the Eagles had won seven in a row.

The same two teams will be back at the diamond on Saturday to close out their respective conference schedules. Northwestern's probable pitchers include Tyler Campion (Robbinsdale, Minn./Maranatha Christian) and Mark Meredith (Robbinsdale, Minn./Armstrong), while the Saints are likely to throw Kyle Jensen, Jake Nystrom and/or Mickie Keuning. The first game of the doubleheader is slated for a 12 Noon first pitch.