The Saint Mary’s baseball team is back on its home turf on Saturday, as the Cardinals welcome St. Olaf to Max Molock Field for a 1 p.m. MIAC twinbill.

SAINT MARY’S CARDINALS

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2024: 7-1 MIAC, 14-8 Overall

ST. OLAF OLES

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2024: 6-0 MIAC, 16-8 Overall

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SMU-STO * LAST MEETING:

April 8, 2024 * Winona, MN

L, 1-0; L, 9-8 * Series History

SAINT MARY’S * LAST ACTION:

April 9, 2024 * Winona, MN

Augsburg * W, 2-1; W, 3-2

ST. OLAF * LAST ACTION:

April 10, 2024 * Northfield, MN

Crown * W, 18-4

SAINT MARY’S * UP NEXT:

April 17, 2024 * Winona, MN

Gustavus * 2:30/5:00

ST. OLAF * UP NEXT: 

April 17, 2024 * Northfield, MN

Bethel * 2:30/5:00

SAINT MARY’S SCOUTING REPORT:

• FOR THE RECORD: The Cardinals head into their conference doubleheader against St. Olaf sitting at 14-8 through the first 22 games of the season, while boasting a 7-1 mark in conference play.

• LAST TIME OUT: Saint Mary’s picked up a pair of nail-biting, one-run victories last Tuesday at Max Molock Field, edging Augsburg 2-1 in the opener, before taking the nightcap 3-2.

• HOME SWEET HOME: The Cardinals’ doubleheader against St. Olaf is the second of three straight home twinbills for SMU, which will host Gustavus next Wednesday, before hitting the road for eight consecutive games — including conference DHs at Saint John’s, Bethel, and Concordia, and nine-inning nonconference games at UW-La Crosse and UW-Stout. … Saint Mary’s is 6-1 on its home turf this season, while sitting at 5-6 away from Max Molock Field.

• SWEEPING UP: The Cardinals have played six doubleheaders this season, sweeping five and going 1-1 in the other. SMU has swept Illinois College (5-2, 10-5), Saint Joseph’s (4-2, 11-3), Hamline (1-0, 7-2), Carleton (22-2, 9-3), and Augsburg (2-1, 3-2), while splitting its twinbill against Macalester (W, 9-3, L, 14-4).

• CLOSE CALLS: Saint Mary’s has gone 3-1 in its last four games — with all three victories decided by one run. SMU beat Macalester 9-8 on April 6, and adding 2-1 and 3-2 wins over Augsburg last Tuesday.

• STREAK-SNAPPER; The Cardinals had their season-high six-game winning streak ended with their 14-4, Game 2 loss to Macalester on April 6. … SMU’s 7-0 victory over UW-Superior on March 28 snapped the Cardinals’ season-high three-game losing streak. 

• AT THE PLATE: Brinton Anderson (Pulaski, Wis.) leads the Cardinal offense with a .383 batting average, going 18-for-47. He is one of four SMU players boasting batting averages of .300 or better, being joined by Cameron Weber (Holmen, Wis. / .377), Ryan Csida (Kimberly, Wis. / .367), and Mason Coyle (Madison, Wis. / .315).

• ON THE RUN: The Cardinals have scored 133 runs through their first 22 games this season …. Weber leads the team with 23 runs scored, four more than Csida and seven up on Coyle. Riley Bauman (Stratford, Wis. / 13), Cam Miller (Kimberly, Wis. / 13), and Anderson (11) have also crossed home plate more than 10 times. … Miller, Coyle, and Riley Bauman have all scored a single-game season-high three times this season. … Weber and Riley Bauman each scored a single-game season- and career-high four runs in 2023 — Weber against Bethany Lutheran on April 30 and Bauman vs. Hamline on May 2.

• RUNS A PLENTY: The Cardinals scored 22 runs in beating Carleton 22-2 in the opening game of the Cardinals MIAC sweep of Carleton on April 5. The 22 runs were the most in a game since SMU beat Graceland 23-3 on March 25, 2015.

• HIT PARADE: Weber and Csida share the team lead in hits with 29 each. They are two of four Cardinal players with 20+ hits, being joined by Coyle (23) and Riley Bauman (23), while Anderson (18), Daniel Sherman (Richfield, Minn. / 17), Stephen Golden (Centerville, Minn. / 11), and Tanner Bauman (Willmar, Minn. / 11) have also reached double figures in hits through 22 games. … Csida has put together a team-leading 10 multiple-hit games, while Riley Bauman delivered a single-game season-high four hits against Dominican on March 4.

• EXTRA, EXTRA: Forty-eight of the Cardinals’ 197 hits this season have been for extra bases, including 33 doubles, seven triples, and eight home runs. … Coyle is the team-leader in doubles with six, two more than Csida, Riley Bauman, Anderson, and Sherman, while Riley Bauman leads the team with three triples. 

• BOMBS AWAY: Riley Bauman has clubbed three of the team’s eight home runs. Golden owns a pair of round-trippers, with Coyle, Csida, and Will Boeckman (Big Lake, Minn.) accounting for the other three. … Boeckman belted SMU’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot against Bethany Lutheran on Feb. 25. … Csida launched his first collegiate HR — a lead-off shot against Benedictine on March 8 — while Golden belted his first two home runs as a Cardinal against Carleton on April 5. … Golden’s two HRs in Game 1 against Carleton on April 5 marked the first time SMU has had a player hit two HRs in a game since Ben Buerkle and Jake Barry each hit two round-trippers during the 2017 season.

• DRIVING ‘EM IN: Weber has delivered a team-best 17 RBIs, followed by Coyle, Riley Bauman and Csida two back with 15. Anderson has also reached double figures with 11 runs batted in. … Sherman accounted for all four RBIs in SMU’s 4-2 win over Saint Joseph’s on March 9. Sherman is one of four SMU players with a four-RBI game, being joined by Riley Bauman, Weber, and Anderson. RBIs … Weber own a team-best five multiple-RBI games, one more than Riley Bauman.

• STREAKING: Csida has put together the team’s longest hitting streak of the season at nine games, while Weber heads into SMU’s DH against St. Olaf riding SMU’s longest active streak at seven. … Csida has reached base safely in all 22 games this season. …  Weber closed out the 2023 season riding a 15-game hitting streak, and picked up at least one hit in each of SMU’s first four games this season, before going 0-for-6 against Dominican on March 4.

• OUCH: The Cardinals, who were hit by a pitch 32 times in 35 games in 2023, have already been plunked 30 time this season — with Weber, Csida, and Miller all getting hit a team-leading six times.

• CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Saint Mary’s is 59-for-71 in stolen base attempts this season, with Weber leading the way, going 23-for-26, followed by Riley Bauman (8-for-8), Coyle (8-for-9), and Csida (7-for-7). … With his 23 stolen bases, Weber has already tied the single-season school record, previously held by Will Doll during the 2014 season (23-for-29). … SMU stole a school-record 11 bases in its Game 1 win over Carleton on April 5, with Weber setting a single-game school record with four steals. … With their 59 stolen bases, SMU is 28 steals shy of the single-season school record of 88, set during the 2021 season.

• ON THE MOUND: Saint Mary’s has used 15 different pitchers this season, with Eric Stomberg (St. Paul, Minn. / 4-1, 3.25 ERA) leading the way with 27 2/3 innings pitched. Addison Hochevar (Lake Geneva, Wis. / 2-3, 5.06 ERA, 26 2/3 IP), Dylan Westcott (Holmen, Wis. / 3-0, 2.16 ERA, 25.0 IP), and Andrew Fischer (La Crosse, Wis. / 1-2, 3.60, 25.0 IP) have also logged more than 20 innings. … Fischer and Westcott have both made a team-high eight pitching appearances, while Hochevar leads the team with six starts.

• SAVING THE DAY: Fischer picked up his team-leading third save of the season with three innings of scoreless relief in last Tuesday’s 2-1, Game 1 win over Augsburg. … Westcott and Mason Windschitl (Excelsior, Minn.) each own one save. … Windschitl’s save against Augsburg last Tuesday was the first of his collegiate career.

• FANNING THE FLAMES: The SMU pitching staff has combined to strike out 119 batters in 22 games this season, led by Fischer with 25 and Stomberg with 24. … Fischer has struck out a single-game season-high seven batters twice this season — against Luther on Feb. 26 and vs. Saint Joseph’s on March 9.

• MIAC HONORS: Hochevar was named MIAC Pitcher of the Week on April 1, after putting together his third career complete game, a one-hit gem in beating Hamline 1-0 on March 30, while Weber collected his first weekly honor, earning MIAC Player of the Week accolades on April 8 – thanks to hitting .471 and stealing nine bases in SMU’s four games that week.

• THROWING UP ZEROS: The Cardinals’ 7-0 win over UW-Superior on March 28 and their 1-0 victory over Hamline two days later marked the first time SMU has posted back-to-back shutouts since blanking Augsburg (1-0) and Bethel (1-0) in late April, 2019.

• COMEBACK KIDS: The Cardinals put together three, five-run innings to beat Illinois Chicago (twice) and Marian during their eight-game spring trip. SMU scored five runs in the fifth inning of 5-2 and 10-5 wins over Illinois Chicago on March 3, before racking up five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 7-6, walk-off win over Marian two days later.

• GETTING SOME (VERY) EARLY SWINGS: SMU’s season-opener against Bethany Lutheran on Feb. 25 and its game against Luther the followed day marked the earliest games played on Max Molock Field in program history. Saint Mary’s has never played a game in February on its home field.

• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: As a team, the Cardinals are hitting .290 (197-for-680), including 48 extra-base hits, while scoring 133 runs and boasting 109 RBIs. SMU’s pitching staff, meanwhile, boasts a 5.50 ERA. … Saint Mary’s has scored at least three runs in 20 of its 23 games this season, including 10+ runs three times — in wins over Illinois College (10-5), Saint Joseph’s (11-3), and Carleton (22-2). On the flip side, SMU has surrendered 10 or more runs five times this season, going 0-5 in those five contests. … The Cardinals are 12-0 when holding their opponent to less than six runs, and are 12-0 when leading or tied after the sixth inning.

ST. OLAF SCOUTING REPORT:

• FOR THE RECORD: The Oles head into Saturday’s conference doubleheader against Saint Mary’s sitting at 16-8 overall, including a perfect 6-0 mark through the first three conference doubleheaders.

• LAST TIME OUT: St. Olaf stepped out of conference play and teed off on Crown, rolling to an 18-4 nonconference win Wednesday afternoon at Mark Almli Field in Northfield, Minn.

• ON A ROLL: With their lopsided win over Crown on Wednesday, the Oles extended their winning streak to seven straight. St. Olaf has not lost since dropping a 5-2 decision to DePauw to close out their spring trip in Davenport, Fla., on March 27. …

• LEADING THE CHARGE: Sam Lavin heads into the weekend owning the team’s top batting average at .382, going 34-for-89 through 24 games. Lavin is one of four Oles with batting averages north of .300, being joined by Evan Hammonds (.351), Mason Buck (.349), and Breckin Hadley (.301). Brendan Goldman (.299) is just one percentage point shy of joining the .300 club.

• ON THE RUN: St. Olaf has scored 191 runs in 24 games, averaging nearly eight runs a game, and boasts nine players who have scored 10 or more runs. Hammonds (26), Sam Lavin (25), and Goldman (20) have all reached the 20-run mark, while Buck (17), Matthew Kulesa (16), Hadley (14), Joey Glampe (14), Cole Pielmann (12), and Brian Nevin (10) have also reached doble figures in runs scored. … St. Olaf has had 19 different players score at least one run this season. … Hammonds, Kulesa, and Brian Nevin have all scored four runs in a game this season. 

• HIT PARADE: Hammonds and Sam Lavin share the team lead in hits with 30, four more than Buck. Hadley is sitting fourth on the team in hits with 22, while Goldman (20) and Glampe (20) and have reached the 20-hit plateau. … Sam Lavin (14), Hammonds (11), and Glampe (10) have all posted 10 or more multiple-hit games this season. … Hadley and Frank Lavin share the team lead with single-game, season-high four-hit performances — Hadley against Concordia on April 2 and Lavin vs. Wheaton (ill.) on March 2.

• EXTRA, EXTRA: Sixty-two of the Oles’ 251 hits have gone for extra bases, including 43 doubles, seven triples, and 12 home runs. … Sam Lavin owns a team-best six doubles, with Hammonds, Glampe, and Frank Lavin all sitting second with five. … Sam Lavin and Jack Alley share the team lead with two triples, with Buck, Hadley, and Pielmann delivering the other three three-baggers. … Frank Lavin recorded a season-best three doubles against Augsburg on April 4. … St. Olaf belted a season-high six doubles against Augsburg on April 4, and collected a season-best three triples vs. Purchase on March 24.

• BOMBS AWAY: Sam Lavin and Glampe are the only Oles with more than one home run, with both belting a team-high four round-trippers. Hadley, Hammonds, Christopher Woodside, and Goldman have each launched one HR. … The Oles launched a season-high four home runs against Luther on March 9 — including two off the bat of Sam Lavin.

• DRIVING ‘EM HOME: Sam Lavin and Glampe have already eclipsed 20 RBIs this season, with Lavin boasting a team-high 29 runs batted in, one more than Glampe. Hammonds (16), Buck (15), Hadley (14), Woodside (12), Goldman (12), and Pielmann (12) have also driving in 10+ runs. … Glampe put together a season-high seven-RBI game against Crown last Wednesday. … Sam Lavin and Glampe share the team lead with eight multiple-RBI games.

• STREAKING ALONG: Hammonds heads into the Oles’ showdown against Saint Mary’s riding a season-high 11-game hitting streak, and has reached base safely in each of St. Olaf’s last 14 games.

• ON THE MOUND: St. Olaf has used 16 different pitchers, including three who have logged 20 or more innings. Sam Lavin (3-2, 3.60 ERA) and Kevin Steel (4-0, 3.27 ERA) have been the workhorses of the staff, logging 35.0 and 33.0 innings, respectively. Kieran Haaland (2-1, 2.70 ERA) is third on the team with 20 IP. … Brock Brumley (0-0, 0.53 ERA, 17.0 IP) has made a team-high 10 appearances — all in relief — while Sam Lavin and Steel own a team-best six starts. … Sam Lavin tossed St. Olaf’s lone complete game, a seven-inning, two-hit shutout against St. Scholastica on April 9.

• SAVING THE DAY: St. Olaf pitchers own five saves this season. Haaland and Brumley share the team lead with two saves each, with Nick Levasseur (0-0, 2.81 ERA, 16.0 IP) accounting for the other one.

• FANNING THE FLAMES: As a staff, St. Olaf pitchers have combined to strike out 156 batters through 24 games, led by Sam Lavin with 52 Ks. Steel (24), Brumley (17), Levasseur (11), Jacob Fickenscher (11), and Haaland (10), and David Schell (10) have also reached double figures in strike outs this season. … Sam Lavin struck out a season-high 12 batters against Concordia on April 2.

• CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: As a team, St. Olaf is hitting .316 (191-for-794), with 52 extra-base hits, 181 runs scored, and 173 RBs, while St. Olaf pitchers have combined for a 3.81 ERA and a .246 opponent batting average. … The Oles have scored 10 or more runs nine times this season, including 18 runs in beating both Crown (18-4) and Purchase (18-0), and a season-high 19-run effort in routing Wheaton (Ill.) 19-2. On the flip side, St. Olaf has surrendered 10+ runs just twice, beating Schreiner (15-10) and falling to Carthage (16-5).