Mankato, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran baseball team split today's doubleheader against eleventh ranked St. Scholastica falling 11-1, then coming back to win 3-2.
Game 1 (L 1-11)
Cody Hallahan (Silver Lake, Minn./Minnesota State, Mankato) started on the mound for the Vikings. He pitched three and a third innings giving up eight hits and striking out three batters. He walked three batters and of the nine runs scored, five were earned. Justin Kohls (Watertown, Minn./Dakota County CC) finished out the fourth inning allowing two runs and walking two. Sam Stier (Austin, Minn./Pacelli) and Eric Kropp (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) each pitched one inning without giving up a hit.
Bethany Lutheran had a hard time getting things going offensively. Zach Herd (Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East) had the only Viking RBI while recording two hits. St. Scholastica's quick defense made the difference remaining clean in the field, while the Vikings had two errors. The Saints recorded 11 runs on nine hits, leaving seven on base. The Vikings had a total of seven hits and left eight on base.
Game 2 (W 3-2)
Aaron Siefken (Lone Rock, Iowa/Iowa Central CC) pitched a gem in the second game going seven innings giving up seven hits while striking out five batters. He walked three and the only runs scored by St. Scholastica came in the first inning.
Dylan Gass (Bird Island, Minn./BOLD) went two for three with one RBI. The game remained tied 2-2 until the top of the seventh when Trent Sonnicksen (Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area) reached on an error by the Saints third baseman. Tommy Kramer (Blooming Prairie, Minn. / Rochester CC) then hit a sacrifice bunt to put Sonnicksen in scoring position. Herd came up to the plate and singled for an RBI and the winning run.
In the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second, the Saint's batter grounded into a double play to end the game.
The Vikings are now 10-5 overall and 5-2 in the UMAC. Bethany Lutheran will face Martin Luther in New Ulm on Tuesday for a conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.