DECORAH, Iowa - The Saint Mary's baseball team (3-7) dropped game one, 6-2, before rebounding with a 6-4 victory in game two at Luther College (3-8) on a sunny Thursday afternoon.
 
GAME ONE

On the mound, Eric Stomberg pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits while striking out two. Tyson Allen provided relief, tossing three innings, giving up one earned run on four hits, and striking out two batters.

The Cardinals got off to a solid start in the first inning with Alex Hanneman reaching base on a walk and advancing on an error, setting up Stephen Golden's RBI single to bring Hanneman home. 

However, Luther quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning, 1-1.

In the third inning, the Cardinals added another run as Golden walked, Sam Knickerbocker singled, and Will Boeckman's RBI single brought Golden home, inching closer down 5-2.
In the fifth inning, the Cardinals threatened with Hanneman's double to left-center, but the inning ended without further scoring. 

Luther College extended their lead in the sixth with a run, making it 6-2. Despite collecting eight hits and drawing six walks, the Cardinals couldn't overcome an early three-run deficit.

GAME TWO

The Cardinals bounced back to claim a 6-4 win over Luther College in the second game of their doubleheader. 

Ryan Csida led the charge for the Cardinals, going 3-for-5 with a double and scoring a run. Brinton Anderson had a big game at the plate as well, driving in two runs with a double and reaching base with a walk and a hit-by-pitch. 

Eric Charest, the Cardinals pitcher, threw five solid innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run, while striking out two batters for his first win of the season. Mason Windschitl closed out the game with a save, his first of the season, pitching a third of an inning without giving up a hit or a run.

It was the fourth inning when the Cardinals broke the tie and took control. 

Csida's double to left field kicked things off, and Knickerbocker's single moved him to third. A clutch RBI double from Anderson brought Csida home, and Daniel Sherman followed with a single to bring Knickerbocker in. Anderson later scored on an error, putting the Cardinals up 3-0.

The Cardinals added another run in the fifth inning. Josh Costello was hit by a pitch, then moved up on Hanneman's single. Csida's bunt single loaded the bases, and Anderson's walk allowed Hanneman to score, pushing the lead to 4-0. 

Luther answered with one run of their own in the bottom of the inning, but it wasn't enough to cut into the lead.

In the sixth, the Cardinals added a little cushion, scoring two more runs making it 6-1.

Luther College tried to mount a comeback in the ninth, plating two runs, but the Cardinals held firm to finish with a 6-4 victory. 

With 10 hits and taking advantage of five errors from Luther College, the Cardinals showed resilience and earned a well-deserved win heading home.

The Cardinals are excited to return home as they prepare for their home opener tomorrow! They'll be hosting UW-Eau Claire at Max Molock Field, with the first pitch set for 1:00 pm.