ST PETER — Two weeks ago, the St. Peter baseball team took on Tri-City United in a nonconference game and came out on the losing end of a 4-3 score. On Friday, the team’s had a rematch in the first round of the Section 2AA, South Subsection Tournament and the results were vastly different.
The Saints parlayed 11 hits and two TCU errors into a 7-0 victory at Veterans Park. Senior left-hander Logan Connor tossed a five-hit shutout to earn the complete-game victory.
“Give St. Peter credit, they hit the ball hard in the second inning and scored some runs,” TCU coach Bruce Davis said. “But we had a chance to make two or three plays in that inning that we didn’t make. Instead of being down by two runs, which is manageable, we were down by six.
“You could see the guys were deflated when they came back to the dugout. If we make a couple of plays, we’re in the game all the way.”
St. Peter’s six-run inning came in the second and included singles by Jordan Wilmes, Jordan Sorenson, Logan Cummins and Logan Connor as well as doubles by Tom Steidler and Luke Connor. The Saints’ final run came across in the third when Steidler doubled to left-center and was singled home by Cummins.
“We got some key hits today, no doubt about it,” said Logan Connor, who finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a run. “I’ve been slumping lately so this was probably my best day of the year.”
The Titans had no answer for St. Peter’s six-run second. They advanced just two runners beyond first base and struck out five times while receiving no walks.
“I just used a fastball and a curve today,” Logan Connor said. “I didn’t have great control with the curve but I had to keep throwing it so I could mix things up a little bit.”
Saints’ head coach Kurt Moelter said the left-hander’s victory was significant because he did it without his best stuff.
“I’ve seen him throw harder and I’ve seen his curve ball break a little more, too,” Moelter said. “The thing is, he knows how to pitch; he knows how to set up hitters.
“When the year started Tom Steidler was our ace and Logan was our No. 2. But Logan has been so effective lately that now I feel like we have a 1 and a 1A pitcher.”
Steidler was 2 for 3 at the plate with two doubles. Sorenson and Cummins also had two hits apiece.
Brad Flicek led TCU with a pair of singles. Jared Schloesser took the loss.
The Titans end their season at 9-12. St. Peter (9-10) will now take on the winner of the Waseca vs. New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva game on Tuesday in the subsection semifinals.
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