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WINONA, Minn. — In his fourth start of the season, SMU senior Andrew Ruf (Chippewa Falls, Wis.) wanted to accomplish two things on the mound for the Cardinals.

Pound the strike zone and let the defense do the work.

Check and check.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander threw a complete game, surrendering seven hits, while giving up three runs, as he lead the Cardinals to an 8-3 nonconference victory over Viterbo University in game one of a double-header.

The Cardinals couldn't duplicate their effort in the nightcap, falling to the V-Hawks 14.5.

“I felt really good out there today,” Ruf said. “I've been building off of my last three starts, just trying to keep the ball low and make good pitches.”

He wasn't dominant, as he did not record any strikeouts, but he was efficient.

The only mistake Ruf made came in the first inning, when Blake Shepherd hit a solo home run to left center field.

SMU however, was quick to answer back.
The Cardinals got RBI singles from Andrew Warren (Stillwater, Minn.) and Andy Edholm (Hudson, Wis.), Chris Bogie drew a bases-loaded walk, and Paul LaNasa (Mahtomedi, Minn.) reached on an error as part of a five-run first inning.

“Offensively, we moved the baseball really well today,” Winecke said. “The thing I was most proud of was the fact that after they scored any runs, we came back right away and answered.
“That's something we've struggled with the last few seasons.”

The V-Hawks struggled with control on the mound, starter Steven Mora and relievers Mark Bellatti and Brett Rettenmeier combined to walk five batters and throw two wild pitches. Mora lasted just the one inning, giving up five runs, while walking three.

After giving up a solo run to the V-Hawks in the fourth to make it a 5-2 game, the Cardinals scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to seal the win. Cody Pfennig (La Crosse, Wis.) had the big hit in the sixth, lacing a two-run single through the left side.

The two teams traded runs in the first inning of Game 2, before Viterbo erupted for nine runs over the next two innings — including seven in third inning to take a commanding 10-1 advantage.

The V-Hawks pushed that lead to 11-1 with a solo run in the fourth, before SMU showed some signs of life in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four times — two on RBI singles by Bogie and Joe O'Neill (St. Paul, Minn.), one on an RBI ground-out by La Nasa and the fourth on a balk — to cut the gap to 11-5.

That, however, would be as close as SMU would get, as Viterbo tacked on another run in the fifth and two more in the seventh to seal the win.

“We have to be more consistent,” said Winecke. “We played so well in Game 1, and then in the second game, we were just way to up-and-down. That's going to happen when you are playing that many young people — they don't understand how mentally and physically demanding a collegiate doubleheader is.”

The Cardinals are back in action on Thursday, traveling to UW-La Crosse for a nine-inning nonconference game against the Eagles.