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St. Cloud State University
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Sports
SCSU continues hot streak
By Ryan Atkins
Published:
Thursday, April 7, 2005
One week ago, the SCSU baseball team was 3-8 and appeared to be heading towards another losing season.
Fast forward a week, and the Huskies now sit at 11-8, poised to prove they have improved from last season's 14-35 mark.
Following a weekend sweep of Minnesota-Crookston, the Huskies continued their hot streak, sweeping Bemidji State University 4-1 and 6-0 in a non-conference doubleheader at Dick Putz Field Tuesday.
The eight-game winning streak is the longest since the 1994 season. Senior co-captain Ryan Kapsner is excited with the prospects of playing a contending team.
"It is a lot of fun compared to the last four years, we've never had a winning season," Kapsner said.
SCSU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning when Travis Thompson led off with a double. Kevin Macdonald followed with a walk. Kyle Johnson singled Thompson home, while advancing Macdonald to third. Macdonald later scored when Gary Kiess doubled to left center, giving the Huskies the early 2-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Beavers would cut the lead in half after Matt Asche reached on an error. Eric Pilgrim doubled to right field, scoring Asche.
In the bottom of the sixth, first-year sensation Luke Klitzke continued his home run streak, sending a shot over the fence for the fifth consecutive game. The home run put the Huskies up 3-1.
Later in the inning, SCSU extended the lead to 4-1 following a Thompson single and a Macdonald sacrifice bunt. Johnson doubled to right field driving in Thompson.
The four runs would be all that was needed as Mike Hoelscher (2-0) pitched a complete game, allowing one run on six hits throwing only 62 pitches.
Senior co-captain Chase Nelson, -- named NCC Pitcher of the Week following last week's 2-0 record -- believes that the Huskies pulled off the first game because they overcame their initial struggles.
"We struggled at the beginning of the game, but then we got some key two-out hits and Luke Klitzke hit another home run," Nelson said.
Nelson said he has enjoyed watching Klitzke put on his hitting display.
"It's that he's seeing the ball well. It's fun to watch. I just don't know how to explain it," Nelson said. "We have been kind of missing that kind of guy in the past. It is different for sure."
Kapsner believes it is Klitzke's swing that has allowed him to go on his home run barrage.
"With a guy like Luke, the batters in front of him get on and he drives them in. I hope he keeps doing it," Kapsner said.
In the second game, SCSU dropped Bemidji State's record to 0-21, while continuing their lights out pitching, winning 6-0.
Junior lefthander Jeremy Liebherr improved his 2005 record to 2-0, pitching five shutout innings on two hits. Junior Matt Means continued the shutout with two hitless innings.
The Huskies scored in the third inning when Kapsner's walk was followed by a Nate Swan single, advancing Kapsner to third. Swan stole second, putting him in scoring position for Thompson, who drove in Kapsner and Swan with a single.
Bemidji State then brought in Lee Pingel. SCSU had Dave Carlson pinch-hit for Ryan Tschida, prompting Carlson to drive in Thompson and Macdonald with a single to right field. Carlson advanced to second on a passed ball before Bobby Gregoire singled to center field, driving in Carlson. SCSU scored five runs with two outs in the third inning.
The Huskies added another run in the fourth inning following a Kapsner's bunt single and two stolen bases. Swan hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Kapsner and increasing the lead to 6-0.
Kapsner believes that the difference between this year's team and previous Husky squads is team chemistry.
"This year, we play as a team. Last year, it was more individually. This year, we get together and have fun," Kapsner said. "We keep each other going. Before the clutch hits weren't coming (for us). This year we're getting the clutch hits and the two out hits."
Nelson believes the winning streak will add to the team's confidence when SCSU enters conference play this weekend against the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
"It's big. The last winning streak this long was seven games in 1999 and we surpassed it. Last year, if we won two games in a row we thought that was good," Nelson said. "It's nice for our confidence entering conference play. We're still overlooked by Omaha. We can take three of four or all four and show them we are for real."
Winona State
The Huskies swept Winona State University yesterday, beating the Warriors 3-1 and 8-4 to stretch their winning streak to 10 games. The streak is the longest since 1989 when the team also won 10 games.
Klitzke homered in the second game and now has homered in six of his last eight games. He has seven total home runs this season.
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