PORT CHARLOTTE, FL – A three-run eighth inning lifted the ninth-ranked St. Olaf baseball team to an 8-6 win over Union College at the Charlotte County Sports Complex Stadium Wednesday afternoon. Union held the lead through the first six-and-a-half innings, and retook the lead in the top of the seventh, but the Oles collected three runs on four hits in the eighth to win their 10th-straight game.
Union (1-6) took a one-run lead in the top of the first, landing
Kyle Murphy (Plymouth, MA/ Phillips Andover) and
Matt Smith (Latham, NY/ LaSalle Institute) on base on fielding errors. Murphy then stole third and crossed the plate on a throwing error by St. Olaf catcher Pat Wadzinski.
The Dutchmen collected another run in the top of the fifth inning on a Smith triple that rolled to deep left field, plating
Ryan Bowes (Hamilton, NJ/ The Peddie School), who reached on a single earlier in the inning.
Union extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the next inning when
Pat Wilson (Cos Cob, CT/ Greenwich) walked and then stole second. Wilson advanced on a
Colin McKelligan (Canton, MA/ Salisbury School) single and crossed the plate on a sacrifice bunt by
Scott Carroll (Scituate, MA/ Scituate).
St. Olaf (12-1) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth after Andrew Schmeising hit a triple to deep left and scored on a double down the right field line by Chris Terrazas. Terrazas then crossed the plate on a Luke Gagnon single to left.
Union took back a three-run lead in the top of the seventh inning on a two-out 2-RBI single up the middle by
Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/ Exeter), but the Oles tied the game in the bottom of the inning, collecting three runs on four hits, including a triple by Terrazas.
The Dutchmen regained the lead in the top of the eighth on a throwing error by St. Olaf pitcher Justin Tobias. With Carroll on third and Murphy on first, Murphy threatened to steal, but was forced back to first. Murphy again threatened to steal, this time drawing the throw. Carroll left third for home as Oles first baseman Tyler Johnson threw to home, but his throw went high and wide of the catcher, giving Carroll plenty of time to get the go-ahead run.
The Oles scored three more runs in the bottom of the eighth to get the win, plating two unearned runs in the frame. Pat Wadzinski led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a misplayed sacrifice bunt by Brian Astry. Schmiesing collected an RBI with a single, and Astry scored on a Terrazas single to left field. Schmiesing later scored on a bases loaded single.
Union starter
Mike Donovan (Trumbull, CT/ Trumbull) allowed nine hits and five runs while striking out two in 6.1 innings.
Matt Sheehan (Lexington, MA/ Belmont Hill) took the loss, giving up three runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Tobias earned the win for St. Olaf, allowing one run and striking out two in the final two innings. Starter Andy Dimick five runs (four earned) in seven innings of action.
Union takes on DePauw University in the Dutchmen's second game of the day at 2:30 pm.
