TUCSON, Ariz. – No. 2 St. Thomas had one big inning in each game, which allowed them to sweep the Concordia University Wisconsin Baseball team in a non-conference twinbill in Arizona Sunday. The Tommies used an 11-run fifth inning for a 17-9 game one win, before an 8-7 game two victory.
In the second contest, the Falcons were once again one hit away from tying the game as they stranded the tying runner on third. CUW, which entered the final frame down five, rallied to put the tying run on third with no outs. Two strikeouts and a popout allowed the second-ranked Tommies to escape with the win.
It marked the second time on this trip that CUW has played a top-five ranked team down to the wire, despite playing far from its best baseball. The Falcons issued a combined 19 free passes via either walk or hit batsmen in the doubleheader Sunday.
In game two, senior Joel Sharon (Milwaukee, Wis.) and freshman Nathan Thyssen (Kimberly, Wis.) paced the offensive attack. Sharon went 4-for-4 at the dish with a double, while Thyssen posted a 3-for-4 performance, doubling once and driving in two. Sophomore Matt Schubert (West Bend, Wis.) added two RBI on a single in the seventh in game two.
The Falcons trailed 5-1 after three-and-a-half innings of play thanks for a five-run fourth for the Tommies. CUW answered with two in the bottom of the fourth, but St. Thomas extended its lead to five with a three-run sixth. That lead would hold until the Falcons four-run seventh.
Junior Josh Ruppel (Belgium, Wis.) got the start in game two and posted three shutout innings before the Tommies five-run fourth. Ruppel went four innings and struck out five. Three relievers finished the game out, including junior Tanner Seitzinger (Bridgeport, Ill.) who threw a scoreless top of the seventh.
Ty Feyereisen got the win for St. Thomas after striking out seven in fiving innings of work. He allowed three runs, one earned. Eric Veglahn earned the save after coming on with a runner on second and nobody out with the Tommies clinging to a one-run lead.
In the opener CUW jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and led 6-2 after three-and-a-half thanks for a four-run fourth. The Tommies made the score 6-4 after four and then erupted for 11 in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 15-7 after five complete.
The Falcons 1-3 hitters of Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.), Justin Barney (Kenosha, Wis.) and Sharon combined for six hits, each collecting two. Sharon hit a 3-run home run in the fourth inning, while Thomas opened the game with a double off the center field wall. Barney added three RBIs in the contest as the Falcons finished the opener with eight hits.
Sharon also got the start on the mound and went four innings, surrendering five runs. Junior Tyler Gross (Wauwatosa, Wis.) was the pitcher of record for the Falcons. Greg Clute got the win for UST, pitching one inning in relief.
CUW will have tomorrow off before taking on Macalester on Tuesday at 9 am (MST). CUW fell to the Scots on Friday by a 5-4 score.
