MANKATO, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran baseball team Sunday hosted Saint Mary's University for a non-conference matchup and fell by a score of 19-9. With the loss the Vikings fall to 18-9 overall, while the Cardinals move to 11-18.
After a scoreless first from both teams, the Cardinals would get a triple with one out in the second followed by a single to score the games first run.
Garrett Hoffman started the bottom half for the Vikings with a double off the center field fence before a groundout would advance him to third. Malachi Santiago would then reach on an infield single with two outs to bring in Hoffman and even things at one.
Saint Mary's took advantage of some Vikings mistakes in the third, as three free passes and an error in the field helped the Cardinals score six runs on just three hits. Lucas Reiff would get one back in the bottom half of the inning though, as he put his first collegiate home run off the scoreboard in left to cut the deficit to 7-2.
SMU would match Reiff's run in the next half, as they singled and doubled to kick off the fourth. Jadrien Keavy would get a pair of outs before a walk brought on Trent Herrboldt who struck out the final hitter to get out of the inning.
In the bottom half Henry Laue and Will Carlson would each be hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Malachi Santiago then reached on an infield single before Xavier Palmer flared a base hit to right to move everyone up a base and score a run. Reiff would then reach on a fielder's choice to plate one more run before a double play ended the inning with the bases full.
Saint Mary's would once again answer the call in the top of the fifth, as they used a pair of free passes as well as two hits and a wild pitch to score three more runs and go up 11-4.
After a scoreless bottom of the fifth, walks continued to doom the Vikings as three of them paired with two Cardinal hits in the top of the sixth inning allowed three more runs to score and give SMU a 10-run lead. Both teams then had quick next half innings to bring the Vikings back to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
JT Garcia and Reed Brown each singled to start the inning, before an error on the Cardinals loaded the bases. Hoffman would drive in the first run of the inning on a sac fly before a pop out got SMU their second out of the inning. Carlson was then hit by a pitch again before Santiago knocked a bases clearing double to left center. Palmer then singled down the right field line to bring in Santiago and cut the lead to 14-9.
The Cardinals would get a run back in the top of the eighth before scoring four more in the ninth thanks to three hits and an error to take the 19-9 win. Carlson would single to start the ninth but three straight outs ended the contest.
Santiago led the hitting efforts in the contest with four hits and four RBI, while Palmer added two hits and two runs batted in. Jadrien Keavy took the loss on the the mound with four earned runs given up over 3 2/3 innings.
