Article by Noah Grant. Photo by the St. Cloud State Athletic Department/Nathaly Delgado.
The St. Cloud State University Huskies baseball team finished their three-game sweep of Minot State University Beavers with a 12-4 victory on April 28 at the Joe Faber Field. The Huskies hit five home runs in the win, the most in any game this season.
It was the perfect outcome for Senior Day, as the Huskies honored six players before the game. Blaine Guthrie, Brayden Jacobson, Ethan Navratil, Christian Lessman, Frankie Volkers, and Brody Richardson were all recognized in an on-field ceremony with their families.
Despite the result, the game didn’t start well for the Huskies. Starter Cael Kolacia allowed a solo home run to Oscar Pegg just two batters into the contest, giving the Beavers their first lead.
Minot State would add a pair in the second by playing some small ball. After a leadoff single, Grant Gabbert laid down a bunt for a base hit.
A wild pitch and sacrifice fly brought home the second run of the day for the Beavers. Kekoa Munos then dropped another bunt down, allowing Gabbert to score. The 3-0 lead wouldn’t last long, however, as the bats came alive in the bottom of the frame for the Huskies.
Ethan Navratil wasted no time leading off the Huskies half of the second. The senior captain jumped on the first pitch he saw, hitting it over the right field wall for his second home run in as many days.
In the third, another senior got things started as Brayden Jacobson singled, stole second, and scored on an Eric Bello RBI single. Wyatt Tweet followed with another long home run, scoring Bello and giving the Huskies a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
The seniors kept contributing, as Blaine Guthrie crushed a homer inside the left field foul pole. It was the second long ball of the inning and made it 5-3 Huskies.
Jacobson joined the home run parade in the fourth, lining a two-run shot over the left field wall for his third of the season. Liam Moreno manufactured a run in the fourth as well, doubling, stealing third, and scoring on a Bello groundout.
The Beavers would wrap up their scoring in the fifth, as Noah Madas singled in Oscar Pegg to cut the lead to 8-4. Cael Kolacia was able to complete seven innings on the mound, striking out four while not issuing a walk. It was the longest start of the season for Kolacia.
Jacobson would get the run back for the Huskies, as his groundout scored Wilmis Castro in the fifth. Castro would get a few RBI’s of his own in the sixth, as his towering fly ball drifted over the left field wall for the Huskies fifth homer of the day. It was also the fourth hit of the day for Castro, who was lights out in the series.
Dan Clusiau and Nolan Kahle picked up the final six outs on the mound, and the Huskies picked up the sweep.
It was a huge weekend for the Huskies, as they are still looking to lock down a playoff spot in the NSIC. They’ll be back in action on Tuesday for their final home games of the regular season, hosting Winona State University in a doubleheader at the Joe Faber Field with first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
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