Notables
-CSS has won its last five extra inning games
-Second career walk-off hit for Zwak (UW-Oshkosh-2017)
-Pearson, Colvard and Conor Wollenzien all have hits in the first three games
-First 3-0 start since 2009
LAKELAND, Fla. (csssaints.com) – Sophomore Joey Zwak's one-out hit in the bottom of the 10th drove in Aaron Weber to give the St. Scholastica baseball team a 6-5 victory over Washington University-St. Louis Sunday morning to open play at the Russmatt Invitational.
The Action
The Bears (5-4) got on the scoreboard first after leading off the game with a triple. Wash U later pushed across a run on a groundout to make it 1-0 after a half inning of play. CSS stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the first and the second inning saw five of the six hitters retired by strikeout.
A pair of St. Scholastica errors in the top of the fourth allowed the Bears to extend their lead to 3-0. The Saints responded by getting the bats going in the bottom of the inning. Eric Pearson and Riley Bernsdorf drew a pair of walks to lead off the frame. Two batters later Weber, drove in Pearson with a RBI single to make it 3-1. Now with two outs, Drew Colvard hit a two-run double to bring in Bernsdorf and Weber and tie the contest at 3-3. The next batter Zwak hit a two-run home run over the right-field fence to give St. Scholastica a 5-3 lead. That was Zwak's first collegiate homer.
Washington-St. Louis got a run back in the fifth to make it 5-4. The Bears were looking to tie the game in the seventh, but Weber would throw out the runner at the plate from his left field position to keep the score at 5-4. However, Wash U would get a RBI double in the eighth to tie the game at 5-5.
It was 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth and CSS had the bases loaded with two outs. Unfortunately, the Bears would get a fly out to extend the game into extra innings.
After the Bears went down in order in the top of the 10th, Weber led off the bottom frame with a walk. A Bobby Eckert sacrifice moved Weber to second and Colvard then singled to put runners at the corners. Zwak then stepped in and ripped a shot to right to plate Weber and give the Saints the 6-5 walk-off victory.
Pitching
Joe Gonrowski pitched a perfect 10th inning to earn the victory. Grant Rindal had the start for the Saints and struck out six in five innings in the no decision. Dallas Miller and Isaac Rocha combined to pitch four innings of relief, allowing one run.
Hitting
Zwak was 3-for-6 with three RBIs, while Weber was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Colvard also had a pair of hits and two RBIs.
John Brinkman had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Washington-St. Louis offense.
Up Next:
The Saints (3-0) have a doubleheader tomorrow against Iowa Wesleyan University, beginning at 3 p.m. (ET).