Box Score  | GameDay Preview

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Saint Mary's University baseball team had so much fun playing extra innings in their first game on Wednesday that the Cardinals decided to do it again in the second.

With the same result.

Hours after getting a game-winning, walk-off single by Willie Doll (Amherst, Wis.) in the bottom of the 11th inning of a 4-3 SMU win over Iowa Wesleyan, the Cardinals were at it again — and then some — in their nonconference nine-inning game against Simpson.

This time it was Kyle Servais (Westby, Wis.) to the rescue, as the senior delivered a two-out walk-off single, scoring Vince Lulic (Mendota Heights, Minn.) from third in the bottom of the 12th inning and lifting the Cardinals to a 7-6, come-from-behind win over the Storm.

“It might not have been pretty, but we got the job done,” said SMU coach Nick Winecke. “They say that good teams find a way to win — even when they aren't at their best — and that's what we did. We made our share of mistakes, but in the end, Kyle came up with the big hit when we needed it and we came away with our second extra-inning win of the day.

“It's great to get two wins like that, but we also know that we have a lot of work to do — and that's why we are down here, to get better every day.”

The Cardinals had their chances to end the game in regulation, but Simpson scored a game-tying run in the top of the eighth inning to knot the game up at 5-5 and SMU left the game-winning run at third in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

SMU threatened in both the 10th and 11th — leaving the game-winning run at third both innings — and Simpson answered with a run in the top of the 12th to take a 6-5 advantage.

Kevin Gannon (Roselle, Ill.) drew a lead-off walk to open the Cardinal half of the 12th, and Jon Schlemmer (De Pere, Wis.) followed with an RBI double to re-tie the game at 6-6. A walk to Lulic, a balk, and an intentional walk to Zach Wolfe (Wabasha, Minn.) loaded the bases with no one out.

Simpson almost worked its way out of the jam, getting a fly-out to short right and a force out at home — but Servais would not be denied, lacing a laser to left field to score Lulic.

Schlemmer collected three hits — including a pair of doubles — while Lulic also finished with three hits and Pat Krieger (Mendota Heights, Minn.) broke the school record for walks in a game with five.

Sean Minder (Maplewood, Minn.) — the fourth SMU pitcher — earned the win, going the final two innings, allowing one run on two hits, while striking out one.

The Cardinals (4-2 overall) — winners of four straight — are now off until Friday, when they square off against Illinois Institute of Technology in a nonconference doubleheader at Kino Sports Complex beginning at 10 a.m.