ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The St. Cloud State baseball (42-8) captured the team's second consecutive NSIC Tournament Championship and third overall NSIC baseball tournament title with a 6-4 victory over Concordia-St. Paul (30-15) on Sunday, May 15, at Joe Faber Field.

Senior Karl Sorensen had a pair of hits and an RBI. Junior Zach Metzger recorded two hits and two RBIs. Senior Zach Hoffmann, sophomore Jackson Goplen and freshman Judd Davis also tallied single RBIs in the game for the Huskies.

Freshman lefty Cal Giese (7-2) earned the win with five innings pitched, three runs allowed (two earned) and five strikeouts. Senior Logan Spitzack pitched the final four innings to earn his sixth save of the season. He allowed just three hits, a walk and had five strikeouts. Josh Lenz (7-3) took the loss in relief for Concordia-St. Paul as he surrendered two runs in his two innings.

The Golden Bears took the early lead with two runs in the third inning. Connor Olson doubled to start the frame and was driven in by Eric Fasnacht. Fasnacht came in to score the team's second run on the ball hit by Ryan Poppitz that couldn't be handled by the SCSU defense behind the second base bag.

The Huskies tied the game at two with a pair in the fourth inning. Zach Hoffmann walked and scampered home on Sorensen's double. Sorensen, after a wild pitch moved him to third, scored on Metzger's RBI single.

SCSU took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth inning. Zak Hoffman started the rally with a one-out double. Goplen plated Hoffman with his RBI double. Goplen then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Davis' RBI single.

CSP cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the frame on Andrew Shotwell's RBI ground out.

St. Cloud State picked up a key insurance run in the eighth inning as Metzger plated Sorensen with his RBI single through the right side.

The Huskies completed their scoring on the solo home run from Zach Hoffmann to right field in the ninth inning. The home run was the 11th of the season for Hoffmann.

CSP made it interesting in the ninth inning and twice brought the tying run to the plate before falling 6-4 after a fly out and ground out ended the contest.

Next, SCSU will wait to see when and where they open the 2016 NCAA Baseball Tournament based on tonight's selection show. The team will be gathering at the Green Mill in downtown St. Cloud to watch the selection show at 9 p.m.


 

2016 NSIC All-Tournament Team
16	Sheldon Miks	LHP	So.	SCSU	Shakopee, Minn.
14	Karl Sorensen	OF	Sr.	SCSU	Maple Grove, Minn.
8	Jackson Goplen	OF	So.	SCSU	North St. Paul, Minn.
5	Judd Davis	IF	Fr.	SCSU	New Ulm, Minn.
28	Reese Gregory	DH/P	Sr.	SCSU	St. Cloud, Minn.
15	Bo Hellquist	LHP	Sr.	UMD	Savage, Minn.
35	Alex Wojciechowski	IF	Sr.	UMD	Coon Rapids, Minn.
13	Alex Fink	IF	Sr.	Augie	Springfield, Minn.
6	Eric Fasnacht	IF	Sr.	CSP	Eden Prairie, Minn.
21	Connor Olson	C	So.	CSP	Plymouth, Minn.
14	Gus Varland	RHP	Fr.	CSP	Maplewood, Minn.
MVP - Karl Sorensen, SCSU, OF