Schiller shines, Huskies fall 15-11 in offensive power show

Monday, March 8

Fort Scott, KS

11:30 a.m.

St. Cloud State

0-3

University of Minnesota Crookston

3-0

Minnesota-Crookston

St. Cloud State

Tyler Schiller went 3-3 with two home runs, 3 RBI and a single in his first three plate appearances

Schiller shines, Huskies fall 15-11 in offensive power show

3/8/2021 4:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

True freshman Tyler Schiller (3-3, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI) blasted a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in his first collegiate plate appearance, singled and belted another long ball to lead yet another St. Cloud State Baseball (0-3, 0-0 NSIC) offensive explosion in the Huskies' 15-11 loss to Minnesota-Crookston (3-0, 0-0 NSIC) on Monday afternoon. Second-year freshman John Nett (1-4, BB, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) cracked his first collegiate homer, while Caleb Marquez (2-4, HBP, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) and Paul Steffensen (1-5, R, HR, 2 RBI) each belted long balls of their own to give SCSU five on the day.

Down 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning, Tate Wallat (2-4, BB, 2 R, 2 2B) led off with a sharp double to right-center that bounced over the wall. After a flyout, he scampered to third on a throwing error then scored on a Max Gamm (1-4, BB, R, RBI) single tattooed through the right side. Steffensen lifted a lazy fly ball to left on which Gamm made a brilliant baserunning move, reading the wind and tagging up before flying in to second ahead of the throw. Jake Shusterich (1-3, BB, HBP, R, RBI) promptly poked a single back up the middle, scoring Gamm and trimming the deficit to two.

Minnesota-Crookston got two back in the fourth, and the sides exchanged zeroes until Schiller stepped into the box with two down in the bottom of the sixth as a pinch hitter. The lefthanded hitter teed off on the first pitch, belting a long drive to right for his first collegiate home run.

The Golden Eagles tallied another in the top of the seventh, making it a 7-3 game in the home half of the frame. Nett led off with a walk, then two batters later Steffenson smacked a two-run shot to left, his second of the year. Shusterich was plunked by a 3-2 fastball, putting a man on for Marquez. The Huskies' designated hitter absolutely demolished a low offering, blasting it over the left field wall to tie things at seven.

SCSU's opponent tossed up a four-spot in the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Wallat again led off with a well-struck double into the right-center gap. Nett followed up with a two-run smash to left for the first home run of the talented centerfielder's collegiate career.

Schiller struck again down 15-9 in the ninth, launching a two-run moonshot to right field for his second home run in three at-bats. The freshman also singled in the seventh, giving him a 3-3 day.

Fabian Villegas and Nick Brauns each struck out six batters on the mound for SCSU.

St. Cloud State plays Bemidji State next on Tuesday morning at 11:30 a.m. CST. Fans can follow along to the action by listening to 97.5 RadioX.