UMSL catcher Bryce Kulinski circles the bases following a home run during Game 1 on Monday’s doubleheader at the UMSL Baseball Field. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
NORMANDY, MO — The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team enjoyed a prolific day at the plate on Monday, as it pounded out 31 hits and scored 39 runs in a doubleheader sweep over Bemidji State. The Tritons won Game 1, 24-5, and Game 2, 15-2. Both games were played at the UMSL Baseball Field.
After losing three of its first four games of the season, UMSL has won seven of its last nine and has an 8-5 record on the season.
Several players had big days at the plate on Monday, but none bigger than Bryce Kulinski, who tied the school’s single game record for hits in a game with five, drove in five runs, and hit for the cycle in UMSL’s Game 1 win.
For the season, the senior catcher from Milwaukee is hitting .588 (10-for-17), with two home runs, eight RBIs, and seven runs scored. Kulinski only played in the first game.
Players that played in both games and did well in both, include leadoff man Braedon Stokes, who went three-for-seven and was on base four times. He also drove in five runs, scored two runs, and stole two bases.
Shortstop Justin Simard went five-for-eight, drove in five runs, and scored five runs. And first basebam Barrett Rose went four-for-four, drove in four runs, scored six runs, and hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season.
Game 1 – UMSL 24, Bemidji State 5
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bemidji St. (1-12) | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| UMSL (7-5) | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | X | 24 | 15 | 2 |
UMSL put up a four spot in the bottom of the first inning after its first two hitters were retired. Logan McIntyre and Andrew Buescher each walked and scored on Barrett Rose’s three-run home run to right field. Kulinski went back-to-back with Rose hitting a home run just out of the reach of left fielder Hunter Daymond.
The Beavers (1-13) and Tritons exchanged runs in the second inning and then Bemidji tied the game scoring four times in the third.
UMSL broke the deadlock scoring six runs on four hits and an error in its half of the third. Justin Simard drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run single through the left side. Kulinski scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-5 then Braedon Stoakes hit a triple to right center scoring Simard and Jake Isaacs. Stoakes scored on a throwing error by the catcher on Zach Beatty’s steal of second.
The Tritons added three more in the fourth and six in the fifth to extend their lead to 20-5.
The only thing that remained in doubt heading into the sixth was would Kulinski hit for the cycle and he did just that hitting a double to left field that drove in a pair of runs.
UMSL had 15 hits in the opener led by Kulinski with five while Simard added three and Rose finished with two.
Cody Brooks threw the final four innings in relief to pick up his first win of the season and improve to 1-1. He struck out five and allowed one hit in his outing.
Game 2 – UMSL 15 Bemidji State 2
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bemidji St. (1-13) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| UMSL (8-5) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | X | 15 | 16 | 2 |
WP: Nate Kemp – UMSL (1-0) LP: Jack Hoffrogge – BSU (0-1)
The Tritons fell behind early in game two as the Beavers got a lead-off single from Matt Filippi for their only hit of the contest. Fillipi went to third on a failed pickoff attempt at first as the throw went down the right field. He scored when Garrett Strenger tried to pick him off of third but his throw went into left field.
BSU’s second run of the inning came on a bases loaded walk to Beau Thoma that forced in Zach Evenson.
UMSL cut the lead in half with a single run in the third as Stoakes singled home Kameron Laskowski. The Tritons had a chance to tie the game but McIntyre was robbed of a hit by the second baseman who started a 463 double play to end the inning.
UMSL took the lead in the fourth scoring five runs on three hits. Rose drove in Buescher with the tying run on a single to right. Simard put the Tritons in front with a two-run single to center to make it 4-2. The final run of the inning came across on Stoakes’ groundout to second scoring Laskowski.
UMSL added to its lead with five more in the fifth highlighted by McIntyre’s solo home run to left center and then sealed the win putting up a four spot in the sixth.
The Tritons had 16 hits in the nightcap and were led by Laskowski with three while Stoakes, Beatty, Rose and Simard had two hits apiece. Ryan Berry, Nate Kemp, Will Johnson and Will Newberry combined for the one-hitter allowing just the two runs on the one hit while striking out eight in the contest. Kemp earned the victory pitching out of two on no out jam in the fourth. Johnson threw two scoreless innings allowing just a walk while Newberry pitched a scoreless seventh.
UMSL continues its 13-game homestand this Friday, when it hosts Drury in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener at the UMSL Baseball Field. The Tritons and Panthers will play four games this weekend — one on Friday, a doubleheader on Saturday, and a series finale on Sunday.
First pitch on Friday is set for 2 p.m. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for noon, with Sunday’s first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
UMSL TRITONS 2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Site | Opponent | Location | ||
| March 8, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Drury | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Drury | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Drury | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 10, 2024 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. | Home | Drury | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 15, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Lewis | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Lewis | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Lewis | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 17, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Lewis | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| March 22, 2024 (Friday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Truman State | Kirksville, Mo. / Bulldog Baseball Park | ||
| March 23, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Truman State | Kirksville, Mo. / Bulldog Baseball Park | ||
| March 23, 2024 (Saturday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Truman State | Kirksville, Mo. / Bulldog Baseball Park | ||
| March 24, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Truman State | Kirksville, Mo. / Bulldog Baseball Park | ||
| March 28, 2024 (Thursday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| March 30, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Maryville | Chesterfield, Mo. / Weber Field | ||
| April 5, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 7, 2024 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 12, 2024 (Friday) | 5 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 14, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / Dodson Field | ||
| April 16, 2024 (Tuesday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Harris-Stowe | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 19, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 21, 2024 (Sunday) | 1 p.m. | Home | McKendree | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| April 26, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 4 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| April 28, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Robertson Woods Field | ||
| May 2, 2024 (Thursday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 3, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | UMSL Baseball Field | ||
| May 8, 2024 (Wednesday) | TBA | Neutral | GLVC Tournament | Marion, Ill. / Mtn. Dew Park |