Saturday, March 30
Sioux Falls, S.D.
12:00 P.M. CT
St. Cloud State
13-11, 9-5
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Sioux Falls
14-10, 8-7
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St. Cloud State
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Smith Leads Huskies to Doubleheader Sweep and Series Win over Sioux Falls
3/30/2024 8:30:00 PM | Baseball
Smith closes door in game one, records four RBI in series finale
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – St. Cloud State Baseball (14-11, 10-5 NSIC) earned a doubleheader sweep to clinch a series victory over Sioux Falls (14-11, 8-8 NSIC) on Saturday in Sioux Falls. Junior Sawyer Smith (Somers, Wis.) played a key factor in both wins, hitting two doubles and earing the save in a 3-2 win in game one before starting game two and recording four RBI in a 7-3 win in the series finale.
GAME 1 – SCSU 3, USF 2
Senior Payton VanBeck (Elrosa, Minn.) took to the mound in the first game and provided a strong outing to lift the Huskies to victory. After the Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, VanBeck only allowed two more runners to second base and had three clean innings to stifle the USF offense. VanBeck exited the game in the seventh inning, giving way to Smith who stranded two runners on and closed the game for the 3-2 win.
The Huskies offensive production came from senior Drew Beier (Foley, Minn.), who doubled home two runs in third inning, followed by a run from Smith when junior Blaine Guthrie (Emerald, Wis.) grounded into a double play.
TOP HUSKIES
Smith took the mound for the Huskies in the series finale, pitching four innings while only allowing one run on three hits while striking out three. He gave himself the run support SCSU needed to grab the lead with a two-run double in the third and a two-run single in the sixth inning.
Redshirt sophomore Cael Kolacia (Fort Dodge, Iowa) came on in relief in the fifth inning and then closed out the game for the Huskies to earn the victory, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four.
Redshirt junior Garrett Bevacqua (Carlsbad, Calif.) added insurance in the eighth inning with a solo home run to make the score 7-3.
TOP HUSKIES
St. Cloud State will head to Aberdeen, S.D., for its next conference series to face Northern State on April 5-7. The two teams will play a four-game set with one game on Friday and Sunday, with a doubleheader taking place in Saturday.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Baseball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
GAME 1 – SCSU 3, USF 2
Senior Payton VanBeck (Elrosa, Minn.) took to the mound in the first game and provided a strong outing to lift the Huskies to victory. After the Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, VanBeck only allowed two more runners to second base and had three clean innings to stifle the USF offense. VanBeck exited the game in the seventh inning, giving way to Smith who stranded two runners on and closed the game for the 3-2 win.
The Huskies offensive production came from senior Drew Beier (Foley, Minn.), who doubled home two runs in third inning, followed by a run from Smith when junior Blaine Guthrie (Emerald, Wis.) grounded into a double play.
TOP HUSKIES
- Smith – 2-3, 2 2B, R, 1.0 IP, SV
- Beier – 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI
- VanBeck – W, 6.0 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 5 K
- VanBeck went six innings for the second consecutive start as he improved to 2-3 on the season with a 3.38 ERA. His five strike outs mark the fourth time in seven starts this season he has recorded at least five punchouts.
- VanBeck's 40.0 IP are the second-most in the NSIC, trailing only teammate redshirt junior Luke Tupy (New Prague, Minn.), who has 40.1 IP.
- Smith recorded his first career save when he entered the game in the seventh inning and stranded two runners while striking out one.
- Smith also matched a season-best with a pair of doubles in the content while recording his 10th multi-hit game of the season.
- Beier knocked in two runs with his third inning double, bringing his season total to 13.
Smith took the mound for the Huskies in the series finale, pitching four innings while only allowing one run on three hits while striking out three. He gave himself the run support SCSU needed to grab the lead with a two-run double in the third and a two-run single in the sixth inning.
Redshirt sophomore Cael Kolacia (Fort Dodge, Iowa) came on in relief in the fifth inning and then closed out the game for the Huskies to earn the victory, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four.
Redshirt junior Garrett Bevacqua (Carlsbad, Calif.) added insurance in the eighth inning with a solo home run to make the score 7-3.
TOP HUSKIES
- Smith – 2-3, 2B, 4 RBI, 4.0 IP, 2 K
- Kolacia – W, 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 K
- Bevacqua – 1-5, HR, RBI
- Smith recorded a season-best four RBI to move his season total to 25, a mark which currently ranks 10th in the NSIC.
- Smith's third double of the day gave him 11 on the season, the second-best mark in the NSIC to-date.
- Kolacia earned his third win of the season with his second-longest outing at 5.0 IP. It marked the third time in seven appearances he was able to hold the opponent to two runs or less.
- Beier matched a season-best with three hits, recording his ninth multi-hit game of the season.
- Bevacqua launched his second home run of the season in the eighth inning.
St. Cloud State will head to Aberdeen, S.D., for its next conference series to face Northern State on April 5-7. The two teams will play a four-game set with one game on Friday and Sunday, with a doubleheader taking place in Saturday.
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: Kolacia, Cael (0-0)
L: Shastay, Zachary (0-0)
Batting:
RBI: Cate, Tyler 1 ; Klehr, Brady 1 ; Gouldin, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Swanson, David 1 ; Klehr, Brady 1 ; Andreasen, Zach 1
SB: Swanson, David 1 ; Klehr, Brady 1
CS: Cate, Tyler 1
HBP: Small, Dane 1 ; Andreasen, Zach 1
Batting:
2B: James, Cal 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 1 ; Butler, Kevin 1
3B: Navratil, Ethan 1
HR: Bevacqua, Garrett 1
RBI: Dehne, Noah 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 4 ; Bevacqua, Garrett 1 ; Schiller, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Beier, Drew 2 ; Dehne, Noah 1 ; James, Cal 1 ; Bevacqua, Garrett 1 ; Navratil, Ethan 1 ; Konkol, Hayden 1
HBP: Smith, Sawyer 1
Game Leaders
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p/dh
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3
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RBI
4
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5
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1
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5
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1
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RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP/IF
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CI/OF
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RHP
/ BaseballIF/RHP
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LHP
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