St. Thomas Tommies vs NDSU Bison

[Elvis was a Bison]

Mother Nature has prompted some major changes for the Tommies/Bison Summit League match-up this weekend. This was posted on the St. Thomas website:

"Due to wet fields in Fargo, this weekend's North Dakota State vs. St. Thomas three-game Summit League baseball series has been moved from Fargo to Koch Diamond on the Tommies' campus.

There's no Friday game as the field will need time to dry out after this week's rain and snow. A Saturday doubleheader will have games starting at noon and approximately 3:15 p.m. The series will conclude a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday. All three are nine-inning games."

"The Bison (17-9 overall, 5-1 Summit) sit in first place in the conference following a three-game sweep of Northern Colorado and a 2-1 mark against Western Illinois.

The Tommies (4-17, 1-5) went 1-2 vs. Omaha and lost three close games against South Dakota State."

[Elvis was a Bison]

Game one of today's double-header is underway, with the Bison as the home team. Max Loven (4-1, 4.15 ERA) on the mound for the Bison. The Bison continue the recent trend of surrendering an early lead, as St. Thomas touches Loven for a 2-run homerun in the top of the 1st. The starting pitcher for the Tommies, Graham Laubsher (0-5, 7.94 ERA) seems to own the Bison, with 5 strikeouts of the first six Bison he has retired. The Tommies lead 2-0 after 2 innings of play.

[Elvis was a Bison]

St. Thomas leaves 2 in scoring position but fails to score in the top of the 3rd, and the Bison continue the K parade, going 3 up, 3 down with 2 more strikeouts. Laubsher now has 7 strikeouts in the first 3 innings. Still 2-0 Tommies.

[Elvis was a Bison]

Loven surrenders 2 infield singles that do no harm in the top of the 4th and Laubsher adds 2 more strikeouts to his total in the bottom half. After being held to only 3 hits in the finale at Western Illinois last week and not being able to make contact with ball today, it looks like time for Pedro Cerrano to sacrifice a chicken to Jobu to see if he can get the Bison bats to come back to life. The 5th is scoreless and the Bison are still hitless with 11 strikeouts as St. Thomas leads 2-0 going into the 6th

[Elvis was a Bison]

The 6th inning has St. Thomas loading the bases and scoring 1 on a sac fly and the Bison finally getting a bloop single to right for their first hit but adding 2 more strikeouts to Laubsher's total. There appears to be a growing frustration by the Bison batters with the home plate umpires strike zone. Of the 13 strikeouts by the Bison, 6 are swinging, 7 were called. After 6 complete, Tommies 3, Bison 0.

[Elvis was a Bison]

Quiet 7th, as the Tommies go down 1-2-3. The Bison get a walk but add 2 more strikeouts to Laubsher's total. Joey Danielson (0-1), 3.00 ERA on to pitch Rfor the Bison in the top of the 8thand the Tommies get a single, a sac bunt, and an BI single to add to their lead. In the bottom half, the Bison get a walk and a hit batsman but fail to score. 4-0 St. Thomas going into the ninth.
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[Elvis was a Bison]

Kyle Halverson hits his 2nd 2-run homerun of the game in the top of the 9th to push the lead to 6-0. NDSU opens the inning with a walk and a single and that prompts a pitching change for the Tommies. T. J. Constertina (1-2, 0.75 ERA) replaces Laubsher, who finishes with 0 runs on 2 hits with 15 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Tommies: 6 runs on 11 hits with 1 error and 6 LOB
Bison: 0 runs on 2 hits with 0 errors and 4 LOB

WP; Graham Laubsher
LP Max Loven

Game 2 in about 30 minutes

[HerdBot]

Kyle Halverson hits his 2nd 2-run homerun of the game in the top of the 9th to push the lead to 6-0. NDSU opens the inning with a walk and a single and that prompts a pitching change for the Tommies. T. J. Constertina (1-2, 0.75 ERA) replaces Laubsher, who finishes with 0 runs on 2 hits with 15 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Tommies: 6 runs on 11 hits with 1 error and 6 LOB
Bison: 0 runs on 2 hits with 0 errors and 4 LOB

WP; Graham Laubsher
LP Max Loven

Game 2 in about 30 minutes

So we can beat the Gophers but not the Mighty Tommies. Apparently they are the best in the state

[Elvis was a Bison]

Game 2 begins with Cade Feeney (3-1, 4.50 ERA) pitching for the Bison and Walker Retz (1-1. 1.80 ERA on the mound for the Tommies.

Internet is back going into the 7th, with the Bison leading the Tommies 3-1.

Bison get 1 in the 3rd and 2 in the 6th. St Thomas gets 1 in the 6th. Feeney still pitching for the Bison. Retz goes 2 before giving way to Tucker Huhn who only lasts one-third of an inning before being replaced by current pitcher Evan Esch.

[Elvis was a Bison]

Tommies threaten in the 7th, but a perfect Simonsen to Sackett to Williams relay gunned the second out of the inning at the plate. Bison go 1-2-3 in the bottom half. 1-2-3 for the Tommies in the 8th, but the Bison load the bases with one out and score a run on a fielder's choice and have runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 down. The rally ends on a strike out. The Bison up 4-1 with 3 outs to go.