SCTCC Baseball Off To A Hot Start

The St. Cloud Technical and Community College baseball team is off to a hot start with a 12-1 record. The Cyclones are currently riding a 12-game winning streak after losing their season opening game against Hibbing at US Bank Stadium.

That season-opening doubleheader was started late in the evening of April 11th and lasted until the early morning hours of April 12th. The Cyclones

"The adrenaline was running, so it wasn't necessarily about being tired," coach Jason Fischer said when talking about the witching-hour twin bill. "I will say by about 4 o'clock in the morning, we did start to drag."

The Cyclones bounced back from a 10-9 loss that saw Hibbing plate four runs in the top of the seventh (and final) inning to win the second game 8-0. Since that win, they have rattled off 11 straight behind patient hitting and a young pitching staff that is learning quickly on the fly.

"Offensively we have a loaded lineup top to bottom, there are no easy outs, so the other teams have their work cut for them when they face us," Fischer said. "We also have guys on the mound that have done a great job throwing strikes and mixing pitches.

"We don't have a lot of real 'power arms,' but we have guys who know how to pitch," Fischer said. "Defensively, we have played really well too."

The Cyclones have a number of players who decided to take advantage of the NJCAA rule allowing players to have an extra year of eligibility after last season was abruptly cancelled. Players like Sauk Centre's Will Funk and Apollo's Tanner Blommer passed up other opportunities to come back for one more season.

"Will Funk had a job offer, but he's taking six credits this semester so he can play," Fischer said. "He told me 'I don't want COVID to take my last year of college baseball away from me.

"Tanner Blommer had a scholarship offer to play at St. Cloud State, but he is coming back with St. Cloud State also not losing many players from last year," Fischer said.

The Cyclones' game against Century College scheduled for Friday was postponed due to rain. SCTCC's next scheduled game is slated for Sunday at Vermillion Community College.