Game 1 Box Score / Game 2 Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. — In their last four games, Saint Mary's University pitchers have allowed just seven runs — less than two runs a game.

And the Cardinals are just 2-2 in those four games.

In fact, after the first game of Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Hamline, SMU's Cory Kanz (Oronoco, Minn.) might want to consider taking his teammates to court for lack of support.

After all, the Cardinals' junior pitcher had just tossed a complete-game four-hitter in which he allowed just one run — and lost.

Hamline collected two of its four hits in the fourth inning to score what proved to be the game's only run as the Pipers beat SMU 1-0. The Cardinals' offense was a little more generous to Game 2 starter Andy Ebert (Winona, Minn.), giving the senior righthander five runs — and they would need every one of them, as SMU held off a late Hamline rally for the 5-4 win.

"Pitching has been the name of the game for us lately," said SMU coach Nick Whaley, whose team has now played in four straight one-run games. "Cory and Andy both pitched phenomenal games, and defensively we were solid."

Offensively, however, the Cardinals were shaky at best.

"We're not swinging the bats well right now," understated Whaley, whose team did manage eight hits in scoring their five runs in the second game — including a second-straight 2-for-3 performance from Tony Cicalello (St. Paul, Minn.). "I'm sure it's a little frustrating for the pitchers not to get the run support they would like. The pitchers are doing exactly what we ask of them — they are giving us a chance to win. Now we have to find a way to score some more runs."

Hamline jumped out a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning of the second game, but SMU rebounded with four runs in the top of the fourth. The Pipers cut the lead to 4-3 with a single run in the bottom half of the inning, but SMU iced the win on an RBI groundout by Phil Hocking (Apple Valley, Minn.) in the top fo the fifth.

Ebert went the first six innings, allowing four earned runs on nine hits, while striking out five. After Ebert gave up back-to-back doubles to start the seventh, Chuck Wright (Winona, Minn.) came on to pick up the save, striking out all three batters he faced.

"These were two, well-played ball games," Whaley concluded. "Sure, with a break here or there, we could have easily come away with two wins. But that's the way it goes sometimes. We just need to keep plugging away."