The St. Thomas baseball team claimed its first Summit League series win Sunday in an 8-6 win over Northern Colorado State Sunday at Koch Diamond.
The Tommies’ (10-22, 4-8 Summit League) offense remained hot, being led by senior center fielder Avery Lehman, who went 2-4 with two RBIs. First-year pitcher Carl Cano closed the door on the Bears (10-28, 6-9), earning his first win.
“I’m happy for the guys,” coach Chris Olean said. “It’s really nice to stop having moral victories and actually get some real wins.”
The Bears jumped in front early, scoring two runs in the second inning off a fielder’s choice and a wild pitch from St. Thomas junior starter Chris Chiriboga.
The Tommies wasted no time in responding, immediately scoring three runs. First-year right fielder Tanner Marsh drove one in on a single and Lehman tripled home the other two, pulling the Tommies up 3-2.
“I’ve been struggling lately,” Lehman said, “so it was good to see the results turn out the way they’re supposed to.”
The score remained at a standstill until the Tommies added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore catcher Max Moris and first-year designated hitter Ben Vujovich each doubled a run home and junior first baseman Charlie Bartholomew put the Tommies up 6-2 with an RBI single.
“I just say we’ve got to keep scoring,” Olean said. “It’s never enough runs.”
Sophomore pitcher Jack Blesch relieved Chiriboga in the fifth inning, pitching two scoreless frames before getting in trouble in the top of the eighth.
The Bears took advantage of a dropped third strike, scoring one run and putting a man on first and second before St. Thomas recorded an out.
Cano relieved Blesch, but two runs scored after a sacrifice bunt, tying the game at six apiece.
“We’ve had our ups and downs,” Lehman said, “but the main thing is sticking to our approach as hitters.”
Sophomore second baseman Sam Kulesa was the first Tommie to reach base in the bottom of the eighth, and he was later driven in by senior third baseman Kyle Halverson’s single to put the Tommies up by one.
First-year left fielder Brigs Richartz added one more off a single, extending the Tommies’ lead to two.
Cano came back out for the ninth, giving up a leadoff triple but retiring the next three batters to secure the win.
“I know there are tougher teams ahead of us,” Olean said. “But we’ll take it for today.”
The Tommies next play the University of Minnesota Wednesday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at US Bank Stadium. The Tommies defeated the University of Minnesota 6-0 on Tuesday, April 9.
Sam Larson can be reached at lars4378@stthomas.edu.