NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Heading into Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener, Saint Mary's University baseball coach
Nick Winecke knew one thing for certain against his conference opponent — St. Olaf could score runs.
The Oles entered Saturday's showdown having plating nine or more runs in four of their last five games.
Make that six of their last seven, as the Oles outslugged the Cardinals 19-13 in the opener, then followed that up by handing SMU a 15-1 setback to complete the sweep.
“(St. Olaf) swung the bats well — we knew that coming in and they certainly didn't disappoint,” said Winecke. “I was happy with the way we played offensively in the first game, but we couldn't quite keep pace with them.”
The Oles didn't waste any time getting to SMU starter
Andrew Ruf (Chippewa Falls, Wis.) in the opener, scoring five times in the first inning and three more in the third to take an 8-0 advantage.
SMU got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth — the first on an RBI double by
Curt Swanson (Woodbury, Minn.) and the second on a run-scoring single by
Zach Olberding (Maplewood, Minn.) — but St. Olaf responded with six runs in the bottom of the fourth and five more in the seventh to push its lead to 19-2.
The Cardinals made things interesting in their final two at-bats, scoring four times in the sixth — two on a two-run double by
Jake Lechner (Roseville, Minn.) — before plating seven more in the seventh.
Olberding went 5-for-5 with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs to pace SMU's 15-hit Game 1 attack, while Lechner,
Andrew Warren (Stillwater, Minn.) and Daniel Geraghty (Chicago, Ill.) all chipped in two runs. Lechner also drove in three runs, while Warren and Swanson each drove in a pair of runs.
SMU's sizzling Game 1 offense cooled in the nightcap, as St. Olaf pitcher Erik Olson limited the Cardinals to one run on four hits, while the Oles banged out 15 runs on 20 hits against to SMU pitchers.
The Cardinals plated their only run in the top of the first on an RBI groundout by Swanson, but the lead was short-lived, as SMU again gave up five runs in the bottom of the first. St. Olaf would add three runs in the second, on the fourth and three more in both the fifth and sixth to seal the win.
“Give St. Olaf credit, but we certainly didn't help our cause any,” said Winecke, noting that eight of the Oles' runs came after a pair of two-out efforts. “It just wasn't a very good day for all the way around.”
The Cardinals are right back in action Monday, when they open their home season with a 2:30 p.m. nonconference doubleheader against Luther at Max Molock Field.
