MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University baseball team kicked its 2010 season off on the right foot — thanks to the right arm of pitcher
Andrew Ruf (Chippewa Falls, Wis.).
Ruf tossed a complete-game, seven-hit shutout in leading the Cardinals to a season-opening 1-0 nonconference victory over Mayville (N.D.) State at the Metrodome Wednesday afternoon.
Things didn’t go quite as well in the nightcap, however, as Mayville State scored three times in the bottom of the third and held off a late SMU rally to beat the Cardinals 4-3 to earn the split.
“It was a typical opening day,” said SMU coach Nick Winecke. “We did some good things, and some not-so-good things out there.
“Andrew threw a great game in Game 1 and, fortunately for us, one run was enough to get the win,” Winecke added. “It’s early, obviously, but we’ve got to swing the bats better — four runs in two games isn’t going to cut it.”
The Cardinals plated the game’s only run in the bottom of the third in the opener — without the benefit of a hit.
Jake Lechner (Shoreview, Minn.) struck out for what would have been the second out of the inning, but Mayville State catcher Spencer Braun could not handle the pitch, allowing Lechner to reach first safely.
Kyle Ryan (St. Paul, Minn.) walked and
John Swenson (Eagan, Minn.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Nick Bata then hit
Zach Olberding (Maplewood, Minn.) with his first offering, scoring Lechner from first with the game’s only run.
And with Ruf on the mound, one run was all the Cardinals would need, as the SMU sophomore scattered seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three en route to his first collegiate complete-game victory.
Game 2 starter
Bret Ferschweiler (Rochester, Minn.) wasn’t as fortunate, as the Comets tagged the Cardinal senior for three hits and three earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, as Mayville State erased an early 1-0 SMU lead with three runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good, 3-1.
The two teams traded fifth-inning runs — SMU’s an RBI groundout by Ryan — and the Cardinals threatened in the seventh, scoring an unearned run, but leaving the tying run at third when Swenson grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Cardinals are back in action — and back at the Metrodome — on Monday, when they take on Indiana University Northwest in a nonconference doubleheader scheduled to start at 11 a.m.