COUGARS UPSET VIKINGS IN OPENING ROUND GAME
(Pictured right-Chad Christianson)
DULUTH, Minn. – The opening game of the 2007 UMAC baseball tournament registered the first upset of the postseason as third seed Univ. of Minn.-Morris (9-19) upended the No. 2 seeded Bethany Lutheran Vikings (20-18) by an 8-2 score at Wade Stadium Thursday morning.
The Cougars jumped on Bethany Lutheran starter Alex Smith for a run in the top of the second then pushed four across in the fourth to break open a tight game.
Joe Fayden led the Morris inning off with a walk and was followed by singles from Greg Roth and Dan Folie. Fayden scored on Folie’s hit then both Roth and Folie came around on a key double by Kevin Pope. Matt Peterson’s single allowed Pope to score as the Cougars staked starter Chad Christianson to a 4-0 lead.
Christianson sailed along through six innings before surrendering one run in the seventh. Nik Randall came on in relief to start the eighth but issued four consecutive walks after getting the first batter he faced on a strikeout.
With the bases loaded, Tyler Tollefson came in for Randall and extinguished the fire, striking out the first Viking he faced then coaxing a groundout to shortstop to end the threat.
Christianson (5-4) picked up the win going seven innings and allowing only one run on seven hits, no walks and three strikeouts.
Smith (4-1) took the loss for his first of the season. In five innings on the mound he surrendered five runs on six hits, walked two, and struck out three.
The win keeps Morris on the winner’s side of the tournament bracket where they will face the winner of the 1 p.m. game between No. seed St. Scholastica and fourth seed Northland College.
Bethany Lutheran falls into the loser’s bracket and will play a 4 p.m. game against the loser of the Saints, LumberJacks contest.
The Cougars have now won five of their last six games.
(Story courtesy Gregg Petcoff-St. Scholastica SID)
 | .gif) |
| Minnesota-Morris | 8 | 14 | 0 |
| Bethany Lutheran | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Game 1 of the UMAC post-season tournament |
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