Redshirt freshman Matthew Enck's RBI single in the top of the ninth inning broke a 5-5 tie and senior Graham Laubscher set down all seven batters he faced to close out a 6-5 St. Thomas win over St. Mary's that forced a rematch for the 2021 MIAC Baseball Playoff Championship. 

The top-seeded Tommies (29-7) posted their second late-game comeback in as many days to stay alive. The teams play another nine-inning game Saturday at 5:50 p.m., and that winner takes the automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs.

The third-seeded Cardinals (28-14) took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning on Tyler O'Brien's three-run home run. It was just the second homer allowed by a St. Thomas pitcher in the last 13 games.

But the Purple tied it with Charlie Bartholomew's one-out single run in the eighth. That scored Avery Lehman, who walks and took second on a wild pitch. The Toms got the eventual game-winner in the ninth. Five different Toms had an RBI hit in the victory.

Laubscher was pitching in relief on one day's rest. He struck out three and didn't allow a baserunner.

Tommie redshirt freshman Tyson Stritesky allowed one run, unearned, over five innings. SMU starter Luke Gilbertson allowed just two earned runs over seven innings for the Cards.