MINNEAPOLIS — Crown College Baseball faced off against Augsburg in their final series of the season at U.S. Bank Stadium this season. They started hot, winning the first game of the doubleheader 8-0. Since the Storm have not faced the Auggies much in their time since joining the NCAA, that early morning win marked their first against the club. The team continued to pitch well in game two; however, they fell a run short (3-2) in the second game of the series to split.
Senior Nick Schroedle pitched a shutout in game one, giving up only six hits and one walk while striking out nine through seven innings. Schroedle came into game one with a lead, as first-year Mason Brock led off the game with a home run, his fourth of the season (not phased by the 7 a.m. start time). This blast broke the Crown team single-season home run record with over half of the year left to go. Later in the game, senior Bailey Sarto homered to extend that record; senior Seth Betts and junior Chad Herrera had impressive games behind the plate with two and three hits, respectively.
In game two, the bats quieted for the Storm. First-year Aidan Volk-Specht started on the mound and gave the Storm five quality innings, giving up only one hit and zero earned runs in 65 pitches. Fellow first-year Tyler VanCise followed Volk-Specht, pitching the final two frames, allowing three hits, and striking out two. Sarto led the offense once again with two hits and one of the Storm's two RBIs.
The Storm continue their five-game stretch against non-conference opponents on Monday, facing Saint Mary's University in Winona.
