Saturday, March 25
Council Bluffs, Iowa
3:30 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State
12-7, 4-0
8
vs
3
Augustana
15-12, 4-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Augustana
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
3
6
0
St. Cloud State
4
1
0
0
2
1
X
8
11
1
Luke Tupy struck out 10 over 5.1 innings in game two to earn the series win
Photo by: Ryan Roehl
Huskies earn series win over Augustana
3/25/2023 10:00:00 PM | Baseball
St. Cloud State improves to 4-1 in conference play by splitting Saturday doubleheader
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – St. Cloud State Baseball (12-8, 4-1 NSIC) split their Saturday doubleheader with Augustana (16-12, 5-3 NSIC) to earn a series win over their conference rivals at Doc Ross Field in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Huskies extended their season-long winning streak to eight games with their game-one win on Saturday before it was halted in the finale and close Saturday tied for third in the NSIC standings. With their 2-1 series win, SCSU earned their first series win over Augustana since sweeping the Vikings in a home midweek set on April 5, 2017.
Game Two: St. Cloud State 8, Augustana 3
True to the theme of St. Cloud State's first three tilts of NSIC play, the Huskies received a phenomenal start on the mound to set the tone for a win. Lefthander Luke Tupy struck out a season-high 10 batters across 5.1 innings of work, allowing just two earned on six hits and a pair of walks. Tupy relied on his high-carry fastball to record a whopping 22 whiffs on 99 pitches, drawing plenty of uncomfortable swings with the heater
The Huskies lineup was tasked with solving 2023 NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Ryan Jares and did so in short order, putting up a quick four-spot in the first to chase the righthander after one inning of work. John Nett (2-for-3, R, 2B, SH) and Sam Riola (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) led off the frame with back-to-back singles and each advanced an extra 90 on a wild pitch. Garrett Bevacqua (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI) extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-run single laced into center, then Drew Bulson (0-for-1, BB, HBP) was hit by a pitch to put two aboard for Sawyer Smith (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI). The SCSU shortstop smacked an RBI single back up the middle to plate Bevacqua then scored one batter later as Drew Beier (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) dented the right field wall with a double.
St. Cloud State pushed their lead to 5-0 in the second as Tate Wallat (1-for-2, BB, R) welcomed the new Augustana hurler with a walk, moved to second on a Nett double then scored as Riola grounded out to first. More insurance came in the fifth thanks to Riola's fourth home run of the season – a solo shot to open the frame – and another RBI single from Smith.
Augustana plated three runs in the top of the sixth, finally forcing Tupy out of the game. Grady Fuchs retired both men he faced out of the bullpen to end the threat then Ethan Navratil (1-for-3, R, HR, RBI) cracked his second home run of 2023 out to right, extending the SCSU lead to 8-3. Fuchs slammed the door in the seventh to record his third save in as many appearances by retiring five of six faced with one strikeout.
Game Three: Augustana 5, St. Cloud State 2
SCSU saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end in the series finale as the lineup couldn't solve Augustana righthander Seth Miller, managing just four baserunners and advancing only two as far as second base over 7.0 scoreless innings thrown by the Viking starter. Augie plated two in the third and added one each in the sixth, seventh and eighth before the Huskies scratched across two against the Vikings bullpen in the eighth.
John Nett (1-for-3, BB, RBI, SB), Sam Riola (1-for-4) and Tyler Schiller (1-for-4, R) supplied the three St. Cloud State hits in the loss.
Up Next
The Huskies are scheduled to continue NSIC action next week with a pair of road trips to Upper Iowa for a midweek followed by a weekend series at Winona State.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Game Two: St. Cloud State 8, Augustana 3
True to the theme of St. Cloud State's first three tilts of NSIC play, the Huskies received a phenomenal start on the mound to set the tone for a win. Lefthander Luke Tupy struck out a season-high 10 batters across 5.1 innings of work, allowing just two earned on six hits and a pair of walks. Tupy relied on his high-carry fastball to record a whopping 22 whiffs on 99 pitches, drawing plenty of uncomfortable swings with the heater
The Huskies lineup was tasked with solving 2023 NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Ryan Jares and did so in short order, putting up a quick four-spot in the first to chase the righthander after one inning of work. John Nett (2-for-3, R, 2B, SH) and Sam Riola (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI) led off the frame with back-to-back singles and each advanced an extra 90 on a wild pitch. Garrett Bevacqua (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI) extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-run single laced into center, then Drew Bulson (0-for-1, BB, HBP) was hit by a pitch to put two aboard for Sawyer Smith (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI). The SCSU shortstop smacked an RBI single back up the middle to plate Bevacqua then scored one batter later as Drew Beier (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) dented the right field wall with a double.
St. Cloud State pushed their lead to 5-0 in the second as Tate Wallat (1-for-2, BB, R) welcomed the new Augustana hurler with a walk, moved to second on a Nett double then scored as Riola grounded out to first. More insurance came in the fifth thanks to Riola's fourth home run of the season – a solo shot to open the frame – and another RBI single from Smith.
Augustana plated three runs in the top of the sixth, finally forcing Tupy out of the game. Grady Fuchs retired both men he faced out of the bullpen to end the threat then Ethan Navratil (1-for-3, R, HR, RBI) cracked his second home run of 2023 out to right, extending the SCSU lead to 8-3. Fuchs slammed the door in the seventh to record his third save in as many appearances by retiring five of six faced with one strikeout.
Game Three: Augustana 5, St. Cloud State 2
SCSU saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end in the series finale as the lineup couldn't solve Augustana righthander Seth Miller, managing just four baserunners and advancing only two as far as second base over 7.0 scoreless innings thrown by the Viking starter. Augie plated two in the third and added one each in the sixth, seventh and eighth before the Huskies scratched across two against the Vikings bullpen in the eighth.
John Nett (1-for-3, BB, RBI, SB), Sam Riola (1-for-4) and Tyler Schiller (1-for-4, R) supplied the three St. Cloud State hits in the loss.
Up Next
The Huskies are scheduled to continue NSIC action next week with a pair of road trips to Upper Iowa for a midweek followed by a weekend series at Winona State.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tupy, Luke (2-0)
L: Jares, Ryan (3-3)
S: Fuchs, Grady (3)
Batting:
2B: Dirksen, Drey 1 ; Meiners, Tate 1
3B: Banowetz, N. 2
RBI: Hines, Jack 1 ; Ballweg, Luke 1 ; Meiners, Tate 1
SF: Ballweg, Luke 1 ; Meiners, Tate 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Banowetz, N. 1 ; Hines, Jack 1 ; Dirksen, Drey 1
SB: Banowetz, N. 1
HBP: Banowetz, N. 1
Batting:
2B: Nett, John 1 ; Beier, Drew 1
HR: Riola, Sam 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 1
RBI: Riola, Sam 2 ; Bevacqua, Garrett 2 ; Smith, Sawyer 2 ; Beier, Drew 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 1
SH: Nett, John 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nett, John 1 ; Riola, Sam 2 ; Bevacqua, Garrett 1 ; Gumbko, Mitchell 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 1 ; Wallat, Tate 1
HBP: Bulson, Drew 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
RHP/IF
/ BaseballCI/OF
/ Baseball
C/IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballIF/RHP
/ Baseball
IF
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