SMU at Tampa Bay Invitational / Sunday, March 18, 2007

vs.
GAME 1
1
2
 3
4
5
6
7
8
R.
H.
E.
Centenary
3
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
7
9
1
Saint Mary's
0
0
0
4
0
0
1
0
5
8
1
Official Box Score / Game Highlights: Kevin Black, SMU: 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, run; Brandon Haugh, SMU: 1-for-1, RBI; Ryan Lynch, SMU: 1-for-3, RBI; Grant Barthel, SMU: 4 IP, 2 ER, 1 H., 1 K.

Vs.
GAME 1
1
2
 3
4
5
6
7
R.
H.
E.
Saint Mary's
2
0
1
2
0
1
0
6
10
4
Centenary
0
2
1
2
4
2
X.
11
9
2
Official Box Score / Game Highlights: Kevin Black, SMU: 1-for-3, 3 runs; Brady Knudsen, SMU: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Nick Winecke, SMU: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs


Cardinals' offense is good, but Centenary's is better as Cyclones post sweep

TAMPA, Fla. — Saturday afternoon, the Saint Mary's University baseball team erupted for a season-high six runs en route to a 6-0 Game 2 win over Framingham State — a win that extended the Cardinals' winning streak to three straight.

Sunday afternoon, the Cardinals continued to swing a hot bat, scoring five Game 1 runs and equalling that season-high output with a six-run, Game 2 effort in SMU's nonconference doubleheader against Centenary (Conn.) College.

Unlike Saturday, however, SMU's offensive onslaught was good — but not good enough.

The Cardinals rallied from a 5-0 deficit to force extra innings — thanks to a Brandon Haugh (Easton, Minn.) pinch-hit, two-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning — in the first game against the Cyclones, but Centenary responded with two runs in the top of the eighth to beat SMU 7-5.

SMU held leads of 2-0, 3-2 and 5-3, but couldn't keep Centenary at bay, as the Cyclones erupted for a six runs in their final two at-bats to complete the nonconference sweep with an 11-6 victory.

"I was extremely happy with the way we swung the bats — not only today, but all trip," said SMU coach Nick Whaley, whose Cardinals went 2-2 during their four spring trip games. "We did a great job of battling back (in the first game). To come back from a 5-0 deficit is outstanding, it's just too bad we weren't able to come away with the (extra-inning) win."

"I think we let one get away from us in the second game," added Whaley. "We certainly had our chances, we just couldn't keep (Centenary) off the scoreboard."

After spotting the Cyclones a 5-0 lead through the first three-and-a-half innings, the Cardinals became their comeback in the bottom of the fourth, getting RBI singles from Ryan Lynch (St. Paul, Minn.) and Kyle Ryan (St. Paul, Minn.), and a two-run double off the bat of Kevin Black (Mahtomedi, Minn.) to pull within one, 5-4.

And SMU relief pitcher Grant Barthel (Watertown, Minn.) kept it that way.

Barthel came on in relief of starter Matt Popek (Eagan, Minn.) in the top of the fourth, getting out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam with a ground ball double play, then held the Cyclones hitless over the next three innings.

Still trailing by one in the bottom of the seventh, Black led off the inning with walk, was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a Brady Knudsen (Racine, Wis.) groundout, and scored on Haugh's single to left.

Centenary, however, responded by parlaying a hit-batsman and a pair of doubles into two runs to ice the win.

The Cardinals jumped out to a quick, 2-0 lead in their half of the first inning in Game 2, but Centenary responded with two of its own runs in the bottom of the second. SMU jumped back out front with a single run in the third, only to have the Cyclones knot it up again in their half of the inning. A two-run fourth — both runs coming on Knudsen's two-run double — gave SMU a short-lived 5-3 advantage, but again Centenary had an answer for the Cardinals' offensive output, plating two runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie things up at 5-5.

From there, the Cardinals' bats cooled — and the Cyclones' continued to sizzle — as Centenary scored four runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to complete the sweep.

"This was a good trip for us," said Whaley. "We were able to see what this group could do in a number of situations — came from behind, played with a lead, play in extra innings.

"I just wish we could keep playing," Whaley added. "We made some great strides in a short period of time. When you think about it, we were in all four games — and really had a chance to go 4-0 against decent competition.

"Plus, I think we learned a ton about our team — and to be honest, I like what I've seen thus far."