MINNEAPOLIS --- Crown Baseball defeated the Bethel Royals for the first time in school history on Monday in a 4-3 pitching duel between the two universities. Senior pitcher Eric Newman went the distance for the Storm, ending the game with 127 pitches, striking out eight, and earned his second win of the season, improving to 2-1 in his first start of the season.
The Storm started the contest down 1-0 to the Royals until they knotted up the game in the fourth inning. With one out, senior Bailey Sarto walked, advanced to third on a Kyle Schroedle single, and found home on a passed ball.
In the fifth, the Royals started out striking out two Crown batters. Then, with two outs, Crown came alive. Senior Seth Betts walked to start the Storm offense, quickly stole second, and the go-ahead run was in scoring position. Sarto hit a single to knock in Betts and take the lead, but the Storm didn't settle there. Up to the plate next was outfielder Kyle Schroedle, who hit a blast to center field nearly 500 feet, scoring Sarto and himself, and put the Storm up 4-1. That home run was Schroedle's sixth of the year and fourth in as many games, extending his lead on the Crown single-season home run record (and the regular season hasn't even started yet).
After Newman pitched another scoreless inning, the Storm had three runners stranded and missed the opportunity to put the game out of Bethel's reach. Newman went back to the mound to close out the contest with over 100 pitches already logged. Bethel batters reached base four consecutive times to start the inning, and after a sacrifice fly for the first out, suddenly the Crown lead was down to one.
Coach Ryan Doheny, leaving Newman on the mound with 118 pitches at this point, knew the senior had what it takes to finish the contest. After the next Royals batter fouled out to Nick Schroedle, only one out remained between the Storm and their first victory over Bethel. Newman took five pitches on the last at-bat, striking the Royals batter out swinging for his eighth K of the night and earning some much-deserved rest.
In the second contest, the Storm had a costly five errors that led to five unearned runs, and Bethel took the matchup 9-2.
Gavin Boots made his first start on the mound for Crown and went 4.2 innings with four earned runs. First-year reliever Caleb Keen followed Boots and pitched a clean slate, with no one reaching first in his 1.1 innings. Boots still lead the team in ERA, but unfortunately is now 0-1, with all other appearances yielding no-decisions.
The Storm actually began this game with the lead after a beautiful sacrifice bunt by Sarto that scored first-year Mason Brock. Sacrifices were the primary offense for the Storm in the second contest, with first-year Miguel Bonilla hitting a fly-ball to centerfield scoring Aaron Clogston for Crown's one other run.
Despite the second-game errors, the Storm showed remarkable ability to keep runs off the scoreboard with several incredible diving catches. Kyle Schroedle, Mason Brock, Seth Betts, and Miguel Bonilla all making at least one ridiculous grab.
The Storm will head back to U.S. Bank Stadium for a matchup with the Augsburg Auggies on Saturday morning. First-pitch is scheduled for 7 a.m., and the day will feature two seven-inning games. U.S. Bank Stadium does not currently allow any spectators; however, Augsburg will be streaming the contest. The link will be provided once confirmed on the schedule on this website.
