Luther Sweeps St. Mary's University Win Streak at Five
April 13, 2009
Luther increased its win streak to five in a row after posting a sweep over non-conference opponent St. Mary's University this afternoon on a chilly afternoon here in Decorah by scores of 8-3 and 6-5. The win increased Luther's overall record to 16-7. St. Mary's fell to 4-20 and dropped its 13th and 14th game in a row.
Luther jumped out to a 4-0 lead in game one when the Cardinal pitching staff walked two batters and hit another with the bases loaded. Steve Beckman drove in the fourth run with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Chris Reynolds extended Luther's lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run over the left-center field fence. The Norse added a run in the fifth and sixth en route to the victory.
Reynolds and Jake Waddle were both credited with two rbi, while Beckman Zack Topping, Ben Schott and Mark Weber were all credited with one.
Max Flaig picked up his second win of the season pitching four solid innings. Flaig allowed one earned run on five hits, walked one and struck out three. Jeff Riddle pitched the final three frames allowing one earned run while allowing four hits.
The Norse jumped out to a 6-3 lead and looked like they were going to cruise to an easy win in the nightcap, but the Cardinals made things interesting scoring three runs in the fifth and closing the gap to the final outcome of 6-5. Augie Lindmark took over the pitching duties for Paul Pichelman in the fifth and kept the Cardinals from scoring the tying run en route to his first save. Lindmark gave up one hit and walked one of the 12 batters he faced. Pichelman was credited with the win, his first of the year. Pichelman struck out four, walked three and allowed four earned runs on six hits.
Weber, who was 2-for-2 at the plate, drove in two runs in the second and another in the three-run third. Schott also tallied a multiple hit performance going 2-for-3 and scoring twice. Dan Genrich, who took over the designated hitter slot in this game, drove in a run with a double to center field in the third frame.
Luther will return to Iowa Conference action this Wednesday when it will travel to Pella, Iowa for a nine inning game with Central College.
