By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
AUBURNDALE, Fla. — It wasn't quite the start to their spring trip that coach Nick Winecke was hoping for.
 
In fact, it was far from it.
 
Neumann scored in each of the first five innings—including putting up nine runs in the bottom of the fifth—in dealing the Cardinals a season-opening 15-4 setback.
 
And the Knights' high-powered offense was at it again in Game 2 of the teams' nonconference doubleheader, scoring 10 more runs in completing the sweep with a 10-5 victory.
 
"Not quite what we were hoping for to start the week," said Winecke. "We did not play well, plain and simple. But that's one of the reasons we are down hit—to strive to get better every day."
 
Neumann collected single runs in the first, second, and third innings of the opener, before scoring three times in the fourth and nine times in the fifth. Saint Mary's, meanwhile, managed just single runs in the first, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings.
 
The Cardinals held Neumann off the scoreboard in the opening inning of the nightcap—but that would be the only frame the Knights would not score in. Neumann plated three runs in both the second and fifth innings, while adding solo runs in the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh innings.
 
Saint Mary's, meanwhile, scored all of its runs in the third and fourth innings—plating three runs in the third and two more in the fourth.
 
Justin Weinberg (Eagan, Minn.) and Joe Seegers (Oconomowoc, Wis.) each went 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Cardinals in Game 1, while Dixon Irwin (Red Wing, Minn.) finished 2-for-3 with a double and Jake Barry (Tinley Park, Ill.) launched Saint Mary's first home run of the season in Game 2.
 
The Cardinals (0-2 overall) are back in action on Monday, squaring off against Milwaukee School of Engineering in a nonconference doubleheader. First pitch in the opener is slated for 10 a.m. EST.