TUCSON, Ariz. – The Gustavus baseball team opened its season Thursday night with a 13-2 victory over Marian at the Tucson Invite. With the win the Gusties move to 1-0 overall while Marian falls to 3-5.
The Gusties didn’t take long to strike first, when Patrick Timmer (Fy., Lakeville) recorded a double to lead off the second inning for his first collegiate hit, before a Nick Azar (So., Edina) single on the next at-bat drove him in. Gustavus then poured it in on in the third inning by plating five more runs. Jack Hanson (So., Minnetonka), and Azar would each tally run-plating singles, and Nathan Lindberg (Jr., Bloomington) would drive in another run on a ground rule double, before Bryce Novak (Fy., Cleveland) knocked in two runs on a double for his first college hit to put the Gusties up 6-0.
Gustavus would strike again in the fifth when Lindberg and Novak would get base hits before Kathan Decker’s (Fy., Apple Valley) first collegiate hit drove in the tandem with a double to put the Black and Gold up 8-0. Marian would get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth when they plated a pair of runs to bring the score to 8-2.
The Gusties would answer back in the eighth scoring three more runs thanks to hits from Novak, Carter Clemensen (Jr., Cologne), Hanson, and Ethan Mocchi (Jr., Champlin). Gustavus would add two more insurance runs in the ninth when Azar doubled, Jake Christenson (Jr., Cannon Falls) tripled, and Decker singled and they would hold on in the bottom half for the 13-2 victory.
Christian Johnson (Jr., Buffalo) had a dominant first start on the mound, throwing five innings of no-hit ball, striking out five, and walking four. Jack Garrison (So., Chanhassen) and Damon Rademacher (Jr., Princeton) each posted scoreless appearances out of the bullpen. Hanson, Azar, and Novak all posted three hits in the contest and a pair of RBI, while Lindberg and Decker also had multi-hit games.
The Gusties second contest with Valley City State, in which they were leading 5-4 after two and a half innings of play, was suspended due to rain.
Gustavus is back in action today when it takes on Carthage at 12:30 MST.