St. Cloud State
2-3
Arkansas Monticello
4-0
Heroic Huskies comeback falls just short in Arkansas slugfest
2/11/2023 7:45:00 PM | Baseball
Lineup produces 23 runs on 22 hits, seven Huskies provide multi-hit efforts in 24-23 loss
The Huskies opened the scoring in the first inning as Sam Riola (3-for-5, BB, 4 R, 2 RBI) singled home John Nett (4-for-6, 3 R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) before Sawyer Smith (3-for-6, 2 R, 2B, HR, 6 RBI) crushed a three-run home run out to right-center, establishing an early 4-0 lead. Arkansas Monticello struck back with two runs of their own in the first to cut their deficit in half.
Riola plated another run with an RBI single in the second, then Smith tattooed a two-run double off the center field wall. Drew Bulson (2-for-5, BB, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) capped off the scoring with an single laced back up the middle to score Smith and hand SCSU a 8-2 advantage. The Boll Weevils responded with four-spots in the second and third around a Tyler Schiller (2-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI) solo home run in the top of the third.
A scoreless fourth – one of just two scoreless innings in the game – gave way to a nine-run Arkansas Monticello fifth with two more crossing home in the sixth, turning what was once an 8-2 Huskies lead into a 21-8 barn burner.
St. Cloud State began their comeback effort in the top of the seventh facing a potential run-rule loss as Bulson tagged a solo shot out to left. Brayden Jacobson (1-for-1, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI) added a run-scoring single later in the inning, then Nett bashed an opposite-field three-run homer to cut the deficit to seven. Riola crossed home later in the inning to make it 21-15.
In need of more runs in the eighth after Arkansas Monticello added two following the stretch, Ethan Navratil (3-for-6, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI) opened the inning with a single. Drew Beier (1-for-1, BB, R) and Jacobson worked back-to-back walks to load the bases for Nett, who promptly laced a two-run double into right-center. Two batters later, Riola worked a walk to reload the bags then Smith plated his sixth run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Bulson was hit by a pitch, loading the bases again, before Noah Dehne (0-for-0, BB, R, RBI) took a free pass to cut the Boll Weevils' lead to four. Navratil stepped back in and hammered a game-tying grand slam over the right field wall – completing an incredible 13-run comeback.
Arkansas Monticello would retake the lead in the home half on a two-out RBI single then retired the Huskies in order in the ninth to earn the 24-23 win.
Notables
- John Nett went 4-for-6 with three runs scored, a home run and five RBI
- Sam Riola reached base four times by going 3-for-5 with a walk, four runs scored and two RBI
- Sawyer Smith plated a career-high six runs while going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and a home run
- Ethan Navratil blasted a grand slam while enjoying a 3-for-6 day with three runs scored and four RBI
- Tyler Schiller went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a solo home run
- Drew Bulson blasted a homer, went 2-for-5 and scored two runs while plating a pair
- Tate Wallat went 2-for-7 with a double and a run scored
- Brayden Jacobson reached base in all three trips, going 1-for-1 with two walks, an RBI and two runs scored
- The two lineups combined for 47 runs on 42 hits including seven doubles and 13 home runs
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Z. Boyer (1-0)
L: Riola, Sam (0-1)
S: R. Hunt (1)
Batting:
2B: Nett, John 1 ; Wallat, Tate 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1
HR: Nett, John 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1 ; Bulson, Drew 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 1 ; Schiller, Tyler 1
RBI: Nett, John 5 ; Riola, Sam 2 ; Smith, Sawyer 6 ; Bulson, Drew 2 ; Dehne, Noah 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 4 ; Schiller, Tyler 1 ; Jacobson, Brayden 1
SF: Smith, Sawyer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nett, John 3 ; Wallat, Tate 1 ; Riola, Sam 4 ; Smith, Sawyer 2 ; Bulson, Drew 2 ; Gumbko, Mitchell 1 ; Dehne, Noah 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 3 ; Butler, Kevin 1 ; Beier, Drew 1 ; Schiller, Tyler 2 ; Jacobson, Brayden 2
HBP: Nett, John 1 ; Riola, Sam 1 ; Bulson, Drew 1 ; Gumbko, Mitchell 1
Batting:
2B: P. Dorrance 1 ; C. Cancilla 1 ; R. Reading 1 ; C. Poppy 1
HR: P. Dorrance 1 ; K. Woolf 3 ; C. Cripps 2 ; R. Reading 1 ; C. Poppy 1
RBI: P. Dorrance 2 ; K. Woolf 6 ; C. Cripps 4 ; C. Cancilla 3 ; R. Reading 5 ; C. Poppy 4
Base Running:
RUNS: P. Dorrance 5 ; C. Thompson 4 ; K. Woolf 3 ; C. Cripps 3 ; C. Cancilla 3 ; R. Reading 2 ; Brouilette 1 ; C. Poppy 2 ; D. Cordova 1
SB: C. Cancilla 1
HBP: K. Woolf 1 ; D. Cordova 1
