Game 1 Box Score / Game 2 Box Score

WINONA, Minn. — After striking out 12 times and managing just three runs on five hits in the first game of their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader, the Saint Mary's University baseball team made better use of its six hits in Game 2, scoring eight runs on just six hits.

Problem was, three runs on five hits and eight runs on six hits wasn't nearly enough against defending NCAA Division III national champion St. Thomas, as the Tommies cruised to a 5-3, 12-8 doubleheader sweep of the Cardinals Tuesday afternoon at Max Molock Field.

St. Thomas pitcher Brian Whinnery limited the Cardinals to two hits in six innings, while striking out 12 — including eight of the first nine batters he faced. The Cardinals managed one run off Whinnery in the sixth — on a sacrifice fly by Rob Kimlinger (Lake Elmo, Minn.) – then scored twice in the bottom of the seventh when Ryan Majerus (St. Charles, Minn.) launched his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot off reliever Mike Ramthun.

The Tommies, meanwhile, tagged SMU pitcher Cory Kanz (Oronoco, Minn.) for a single run in the first and two runs in both the sixth and seventh in handing the Cardinals' right-hander his third loss in five decisions.

In Game 2, St. Thomas raced out to a quick 6-0 lead, scoring three runs in both the first and third innings. SMU, however, pulled to within one in the bottom of the third, scoring five times. Seth Pugh (Crystal, Minn.) and Eric Froistad (North St. Paul, Minn.) opened the inning with back-to-back walks, and an error by St. Thomas' center fielder Brett Olson on Aaron Smolinski's (White Bear Lake, Minn.) fly ball loaded the bases. Tony Cicalello (St. Paul, Minn.) reached on a fielder's choice to score Pugh and Kimlinger followed with an RBI single to score Froistad. Matt Domarus (Woodbury, Minn.) then delivered a two-run double to center and scored on a single by David McMahon (Coon Rapids, Minn.).

The Tommies bounced right back, putting together their third three-run inning in the fourth, and added one more in the fifth to take a 10-5 lead. SMU scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI sacrifice fly by Matt Rink (Winona, Minn.) and an RBI single Smolinski, but the Tommies plated two of their own in the top of the seventh to ice the win.