PAPILLION, NE (September 3, 2026) - Cody Morissette is as locked in as any St. Paul Saints hitter as he accomplished something only other player has done in the 34 year history of the franchise. The rest of the offense was stymied, however, on Thursday night and the defense had one of their worst games of the season in a 7-1 loss to the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park.
Brett Squires put the Storm Chasers on the board in the first with a solo homer to right, his 25th of the season, making it 1-0.
The defense, which has been so strong for the Saints this season, eluded them in the third. Luca Tresh led off with a single to left. Omar Hernandez then hit a ground ball to Morissette at second. He thought about shoveling to second, but then was going to go to first, bobbled the ball and dropped it for an error. Gavin Cross followed by hitting a ground ball in the hole at short that Tristan Gray fielded, but his throw to second was wide and went into foul territory allowing Tresh and Hernandez to score on the throwing error giving the Storm Chasers a 3-0 lead.
Carson Rocafforte made it 4-0 with a leadoff solo homer in the fourth, his fourth of the season.
The defensive lapses continued in the fifth for the Saints. Hernandez led off with a single to left and Gavin Cross doubled to left-center putting runners at second and third. With the infield in Alejo Lopez hit a grounder to short, but Gray’s throw to the plate was ruled as a dropped catch at home by David Bañuelos as Hernandez slid in safely. Bañuelos had trouble locating the ball and the error allowed Cross to take third. Squires’ sacrifice fly upped the lead to 6-0.
Morissette made Saints history as he led off the seventh with a homer to right, the fourth consecutive game he’s gone deep, making it 6-1. It was his 15th homer of the season, 14th with the Saints. He becomes the second player in the entire franchises history to homer in four straight games joining Drew Maggi (July 1-4 vs. Omaha) to accomplish the feat. Morissette homered in the final game of the series on Sunday against Toledo and first three games of the current series.
The good vibes didn’t last long as Cross led off the bottom of the inning with a homer to right, his 17th of the season, giving the Storm Chasers a 7-1 lead.
The same two teams meet in game four of a six-game series at Werner Park on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. The Saints send LHP Aaron Rozek (3-5, 4.10) to the mound against Storm Chasers LHP Hunter Patteson (0-1, 4.00). The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM presented by Northland Ford Dealers.