Macalester second baseman Quentin Stuart hit a grand slam in the second inning to give the Scots a lead they would never relinquish as they hung on to defeat the St. Thomas baseball team 7-6 Friday in a MIAC tournament winner’s bracket game at Becker Park in Collegeville.
The win was the Scots’ (25-15) second win of the year against the Tommies (26-15) as the teams split a regular season doubleheader April 17.
The Tommies took their only lead of the game when left fielder Sam Cobbs singled to left center, scoring second baseman Zach Gottfredsen from second.
The Scots got on the board when left fielder Alex Baretta homered to dead center field after center fielder Jared Abelson hit an infield single, making it 2-1 Macalester.
The Tommies tied the game at two with a homer of their own on the first pitch of the second inning as designated hitter Charlie Callahan sent one over the right field fence.
Tommie starting pitcher Henry DeCaster got the first two outs of the second inning before Macalester shortstop Carl Francalangia and Abelson each singled to center and Baretta was hit by a pitch before Stuart’s grand slam made it 6-2 Scots.
DeCaster gave up another run later in the inning on a single by Collin Bratner to lead 7-2 after two innings.
DeCaster eventually gave way to reliever Caleb Fernholz, who kept the Tommies in the game, only allowing two hits over his four-and-a-third innings of work to finish the game.
St. Thomas had a great chance to come back with one out in the sixth inning, but those hopes were dashed when pinch hitter Josh Thorp hit into a double play back to the pitcher, on a ball that the Tommie bench thought was fouled off of Thorp’s foot.
The Tommie offense chipped away at the Scots lead in the seventh inning as first baseman Hunter Hart singled to left center field driving in Gottfredsen and Cobbs who singled and doubled earlier in the inning.
Center fielder Jake Smith and Gottfredsen each singled in runs in the eighth to cut the Scots lead to 7-6 but Cobbs and Schneider each flew out to end the inning.
Both teams went quietly in the ninth to give the Scots a berth in Saturday’s MIAC championship game.
Following the loss, the Tommies now play Bethel in an elimination game Friday at 7 p.m. at Becker Park with the winner advancing to play Macalester on Saturday.
The Tommies split with the Royals May 2 at St. Thomas and the two teams shared the regular season conference championship.
Taylor Smith can be reached at smit9660@stthomas.edu.