CAROL STREAM, Ill. — It took 18 innings over three games, but someone finally found a way to score a run off Saint Mary's University of Minnesota pitcher Jacob Dawson (Oakdale, Minn.).
 
Aurora put an end to Dawson's season-opening 17-inning scoreless string, plating a solo run in the bottom of the second inning of the teams' nine-inning nonconference game Saturday.
 
That run, however, did nothing but anger the Cardinal right-hander, who proceeded to blank Aurora over the next six innings in leading Saint Mary's to a 7-2 victory—and a 2-1 showing at the two-day Wheaton Tournament.
 
Dawson went the first eight innings for the Cardinals, allowing one run on seven hits—including just three hits over his final six innings—while walking three and striking out five.
 
The Cardinals' offense, meanwhile, banged out 12 hits, and scored seven run in the game's final five innings in securing its 12th win of the season.
 
"Jacob did a great job putting up zeroes until we could get our bats going," said Saint Mary's coach Nick Winecke. "Once our offense got rocking and rolling we were in good shape. It was a good win—and a good way to end the weekend."

Aurora put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the first, but Dawson was able to work out of the jam to keep the game scoreless—his 17th straight scoreless inning.
 
The Spartans threatened again in the second—this time, however, Dawson was not able to work a second straight Houdini act, as Mike Cherven drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a failed pick-off attempt, and scored on Cale Sparks' double to left.
 
Following a 1-2-3 third, Aurora was once again testing the limits of Dawson's escape-ability, loading the bases with no one out. But Dawson was up to the task, striking out Ryan Rybakowski and Sparks, and inducing Jeffrey Gersch into an inning-ending groundout to short.
 
After managing just one hit through the game's first four innings, the Cardinals' bats came to life in the fifth … and the sixth … and the seventh … and the eighth … and the ninth.
 
The Cardinals finally got on the board in the fifth , getting a single from Tyler Lursen (Oakdale, Minn.), a double from Kevin Miley (St. Paul, Minn.), and an RBI groundout by Jake Barry (Tinley Park, Ill.) to knot the game at 1-1.
 
And Saint Mary's was just heating up.
 
David Barry (Apple Valley, Minn.) gave the Cardinals their first lead in the sixth,  lacing a two-out triple and scoring on a throwing error by Chevren. Ben Buerkle (Roseville, Minn.) followed with a double and scored Saint Mary's second run of the inning on Jon Schlemmer's (De Pere, Wis.) RBI single through the left side to give the Cardinals a 3-1 advantage.
 
Willie Doll (Amherst, Wis.) pushed the Cardinals' lead to 4-1 with an RBI single in the seventh, scoring Steph Scatassa (Westchester, Ill.)—who sparked the rally with a two-out single and a stolen base.
 
Miley delivered the big blow for Saint Mary's in the eighth, drilling a two-run single through the right side, scoring both Lursen and Schlemmer with the Cardinals fifth and sixth runs, and the Cardinals would tack on one more run in the ninth, as Doll opened the inning with a single—his third in five at-bats—and eventually scored from third on a wild pitch.
 
The Spartans got one run back in the bottom of the ninth off Saint Mary's reliever Chris Bartosz (Woodridge, Ill), but it was too little, too late, as the Cardinals improved to 12-3 overall.
 
Along with Doll's three hits, Saint Mary's also got two-hit performances from Schlemmer, Miley and Lursen, while Miley boasted a team-best two RBIs.
 
The Cardinals (12-3 overall) are back on the road on Wednesday, heading to Copeland Park in La Crosse, Wis., to take on UW-La Crosse in a nonconference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.