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Box Score 2 Minneapolis, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse baseball team opened its 2020 season with a non-conference doubleheader with The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) Monday at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Saints earned a 7-0 win in seven innings in the opener before the teams finished in a 6-6 tie in six innings in the nightcap. The second game ended in a tie due to the time limit.
In the opener, St. Scholastica (Minn.) scored three unearned runs in the top of the first. Lane Girtz and Joey Zwak walked to start the game with Girtz scoring the first run after a UWL fielding error. Aaron Weber's bunt single scored Zwak with the second run and Eric Pearson later came in on Zach Harding's RBI groundout. The Saints added three runs in the second for a 6-0 lead. Zwak had an RBI single and Pearson delivered a two-run home run.
Zach Pronschinske had 10 strikeouts.
UWL stranded a pair of runners in the second and third innings. St. Scholastica (Minn.) took a 7-0 lead in the top of the sixth as Cole Tyman scored on a Girtz sacrifice fly.
UWL was held to two hits in the game, one each from
Luke Schmitt and
Connor Roesler.
Zach Pronschinske (0-1) suffered the loss for the Eagles, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits, six runs (four earned) and three walks while striking out 10.
Matt Tautges (1-0) earned the victory for St. Scholastica (Minn.). He went 5.0 innings, allowing two hits and three walks with four strikeouts. The Saints totaled nine hits in the opener with Zwak and Mitchell Novak each finishing with two. Pearson had two RBI.
UWL took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first in the nightcap.
Zach Carney walked to start the game and advanced to second after
Seth Coker was hit-by-pitch.
Carson Youngquist followed with a two-run triple to knock in the Eagles' first runs of the season.
Brennan Schmitt's RBI double scored Youngquist to make it 3-0.
Cal McClellan later delivered a two-out single to score
Brennan Schmitt and
Luke Schmitt's two-out double knocked in McClellan to complete the scoring.
St. Scholastica (Minn.) got on the board in the bottom of the first as Girtz singled and scored on Zwak's two-run home run.
Parker Plume's RBI single scored Carney with an unearned run in the top of the second to UWL a 6-2 advantage. Carney had reached on an error and went to second on Youngquist's single. St. Scholastica (Minn.) tallied three runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 6-5. Girtz scored as Bryce Huffman was hit-by-pitch with the bases-loaded. Weber's sacrifice fly scored Zwak with the second run of the inning and Pearson came in on Harding's two-out single to make it 6-5. The Saints tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with Kam Larson scoring on a wild pitch.
Luke Schmitt had two hits in the doubleheader.
UWL stranded two runners on base in the fifth and sixth innings while St. Scholastica (Minn.) stranded a pair in the bottom of the sixth.
UWL finished with nine hits as Youngquist went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run and one walk. McClellan finished 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Jack Mizgalski started for the Eagles, going 3.0 innings, allowing five hits, six runs and two walks while striking out one.
Connor Cook went 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and two runs with three strikeouts.
Garrett McGraw pitched 0.2 of an inning, allowing no hits or walks.
St. Scholastica (Minn.) had seven hits in the nightcap with Girtz and Zwak each finishing with two. Both players scored twice while Zwak had two RBI. Jerry Gooley started for the Saints, pitching 0.2 of an inning, allowing four hits, five runs and one walk.
UWL returns to action Monday, March 9 with a doubleheader against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) at U.S. Bank Stadium. The first game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
