Senior Tom Wippler hit the game-winning homer in the first game, then drove in six runs with two homers and a double in the second game as No. 5-ranked St. Thomas stayed alive with a pair of elimination-game wins Saturday at the MIAC baseball playoffs in Dundas.
Brady Field homered twice and Matt Olson also hit a home run to lead a 17-hit attack for the Tommies (32-7), who raced to a 10-0 lead in the first two innings.
Sophomore lefty Bryce Gapinski allowed a solo homer and five other hits over eight innings to silence the Auggies (21-21). UST (32-7) earlier sidelined Concordia-Moorhead 7-6 in 11 innings as Wippler led off the top of the 11th with a home run.
The teams play a 1 p.m. rematch Sunday for the title and the automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs.
UST lost 3-2 to the Auggies on Friday. The Toms are trying to become the first team in the 11-year history of the playoffs to win four elimination games.
St. Thomas earlier sidelined Concordia-Moorhead 7-6 in 11 innings as Wippler led off the top of the 11th with a home run.
