By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Justin Weinberg (Eagan, Minn.) has made his presence felt for the Saint Mary's University baseball team all season — and Saturday's doubleheader against Muhlenberg was no different.
 
The senior, who boasted a team-high 14 hits through the season's first seven games, picked the most opportune time to lace hit No. 15 — belting what proved to be the game-winning hit, an RBI single in Saint Mary's two-run fifth, as the Cardinals rallied for a 3-2 win.
 
And in the nightcap, Weinberg was at it again, driving in the go-ahead run — one of his three hits in the game — in the sixth inning, as the Cardinals completed the sweep with a 5-2 victory in Game 2.
 
Muhlenberg scored first in the opener, plating a solo run off Cardinal starter Jake Mercado (Belle Plaine, Minn.) in the second. Saint Mary's answered with a run of its own in the third — getting a one-out double by Zach Drake (Westby, Wis.) and a run-scoring triple off the bat of Tyler O'Brien (Belle Plaine, Minn.).
 
The Mules regained the lead with another solo run in the top of the fifth — and again the Cardinals had an answer.
 
O'Brien kicked-started the Cardinals' fifth, reaching on a Muhlenberg fielding error. Piechowski launched an RBI triple — Saint Mary's fourth extra-base hit of the contest — to knot the game at 2-2, and Weinberg followed with his run-scoring single to plate Piechowski.
 
Piechowski and Drake led the Cardinals' nine-hit attack with two hits each, while Joe Bauer (Pine Island, Minn.) picked up the pitching win, allowing one unearned run on three hits in 4.2 innings of relief.
 
The Cardinals scored solo runs in the second and fifth innings in the nightcap — getting an RBI single from O'Brien in the second and a run-scoring sacrifice fly off the bat of Andy Tepp (Stevens Point, Wis.) in the fifth.
 
Muhlenberg, however, answered with a pair of runs in its half of the fifth to pull even, 2-2.
 
That would be the last runs the Mules would score off of Cardinal starter Luke Gilbertson (Windom, Minn.), who went six strong innings in picking up his first win of the season.
 
The Cardinals broke the 2-2 deadlock in their final at-bat, erupting for three runs on XX hits. Saint Mary's loaded the bases with no one out — thanks to a Drake single, an O'Brien walk, , and a bunt single by Piechowski. Weinberg followed with an RBI single to put Saint Mary's in front, 3-2, and the Cardinals would add two more runs on a run-scoring ground out by Will Matthews (Geneva, Ill.) and a Kodey Kiel (Owatonna, Minn.) RBI single to grab a 5-2 advantage.
 
Kiel took the mound in the bottom of the seventh in relief of Gilbertson, setting the Mules down in order — including back-to-back strikeouts — to preserve the win.
 
Weinberg paced the Cardinals' nine-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Piechowski added two hits — including his second triple in as many games. Gilbertson worked the first six innings, allowing two hits — neither earned — while scattering eight hits. He walked one and struck out one.
 
The Cardinals (5-4 overall) close out their 10-game spring trip on Sunday, squaring off against Rhode Island in a nine-inning contest. First pitch is set for 9:45 a.m. EDT.