Apr 02, 2008 - 04:05:08 CDT
Tuesday may have been April Fools Day, but the St. Mary's pitchers weren't kidding around in the Saints' season-opener at Mandan.Jon Herold and Dalton Eichele combined on a four-hitter as the Saints outlasted Mandan 4-3 in 11 innings in the West Region opener.
"I just wanted to get a win for Jon," said Eichele, who retired 21 of the 23 hitters he faced in relief of Herold. "He deserved it more than anybody."
The second game, which doesn't count in the regional standings, was tied 6-6 after five innings when it was stopped due to snow.
In the opener, the Saints had runners on the corners with one out in the 11th when coach Ben Schafer called for a squeeze play. It didn't matter, as the pitch to Nick Bury was wild, allowing Joel Porter to score the go-ahead run.
Mandan was undone by miscues, as all four St. Mary's runs were unearned.
"We've been outside a couple of times to work on our defensive stuff," Mandan coach Dewitt Mack said. "I wasn't too surprised by that I guess."
A couple of errant throws and some timely hitting allowed the Saints to put up three in the third.
Adam Biwer walked and Mitch Feist reached on a throwing error, giving the Saints runners on the corners.
When Feist headed for second on a stolen base attempt, Mandan catcher Jason Mellmer faked a throw, drawing Biwer off third. The Braves appeared to have Biwer dead to rights, but again the throw was high, allowing him to score the first run.
Eichele then blooped a single to short right, scoring Feist. D.J. Schmitz followed with the hardest hit ball of the day, driving a triple to the warning track in right-center and making it 3-0.
The Braves answered with three in the fourth. Jared Muth gave Mandan its first baserunner of the game with an infield single, and Brandon Leingang was hit by a pitch.
Steve Pletan followed with a double to the gap in right-center, scoring Muth.
A walk to Jared Quast loaded the bases. The Saints had a couple of chances to escape with the lead, only to have a pair of double play opportunities go awry.
First Jeff Werner hit a sharp grounder to third. Bury fired home to cut down the lead runner, but the throw to first was off-target, allowing Leingang to score.
The Braves got the tying run a similar play. Reid Jungling grounded to second, resulting in a force out. But the throw to first was off target, allowing courtesy runner Brennen Rossman to score the tying run.
The rest of the game was dominated by the relief pitchers. Eichele was nearly perfect, allowing just two baserunners in seven innings and retiring 15 in a row during one stretch.
"He did an awesome job, coming in, throwing strikes, and just being a rock on the hill," Schafer said.
Werner was nearly as good in relief for Mandan. He put up five goose eggs and fanned six batters before a couple of miscues opened the door for St. Mary's in the 11th.
Schmitz and Bury both reached on errors, setting up the game-winner.
Down to their last out, the Braves finally put an end to Eichele's streak of 15 hitters retired with a Leingang single. But Eichele got Pletan to ground to short and end the game.
"It adds a little confidence," Eichele said. "It's nice to come out on the first day and get that first West Region win off your back."
"I think it can be a good year."
St. Mary's 4, Mandan 3, 11 innings
St. Mary's 003 000 000 01 - 4 4 2
Mandan 000 000 000 00 - 3 4 4
Jon Herold, Drew Eichele (5) and Eichele, Nick Jangula (5); Jared Quast, Jeff Werner (6) and Jason Mellmer. W - Eichele. L - Werner. HR - None.
Highlights: SM - Eichele 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 SO. Matt Chuppe double. D.J. Schmitz triple. M - Werner 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 SO. Steve Pletan double, Quast double.
St. Mary's 6, Mandan 6
Game called after five innings due to snow
St. Mary's 102 30 - 6 6 1
Mandan 112 20 - 6 6 3
Nick Bury, Joel Porter (4), James Carroll (5) and Nick Jangula; Brandon Leingang, Tony Fleck (4) and Brennan Rossman. HR - None.
Highlights: SM - Jon Herold 2-for-3, double, 2R. D.J. Schmitz 2-for-2, 2 RBIs. M - Jared Quast double, 2 RBIs. Tony Fleck double. Brandon Hustad double. Jared Muth 2 R.
Records: SM 1-0 West Region, 1-0-1 overall. M 0-1 West Region, 0-1-1 overall.
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