SAINT PETER, Minn. – No. 24 Gustavus baseball needed just one win Saturday in its MIAC play-in doubleheader against Carleton and had to sweat it out after dropping the first game 8-3, but rebounded with a 6-2 win in the series finale. The Gusties, now 26-5 overall, locked up the MIAC’s No. 2 seed and a first round bye in the league playoffs, which run May 20-22 at Saint John’s.
Gustavus 3, Carleton 8 | BOX SCORE
Four scoreless innings passed before Carleton broke the shutout in the fifth with a run. A single, sac bunt, and RBI single ended Gustie starter Bryce Novak’s (So., Cleveland) day on the mound. Jack Garrison (Jr., Chanhassen) came in relief and got the third out, stranding one runner on base.
The Knights put together a rally in the sixth with a trio of runs on four hits and an error for a 4-0 lead. It wasn’t until the seventh inning the Gusties found home plate as Nick Azar (Jr., Edina) led off with a walk and later scored on a single by Jake Christenson (Sr., Cannon Falls).
Carleton broke the game wide open in the eighth with four runs on three hits, highlighted by a two-run double. The Gusties cut into the deficit with a pair of unearned runs on consecutive fielding errors to make the score 8-3, but it was not enough in the end.
The Gusties used four pitchers with Novak suffering the loss after four and two-thirds innings. He allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts. Jack Hanson (Jr., Minnetonka) (2-5, R) and Christenson (2-4, 2B, RBI) led at the plate with a couple hits each.
Gustavus 6, Carleton 2 | BOX SCORE
The Gusties took their first lead of the day in the opening frame as Hanson reached on a fielder’s choice, went to second on a passed ball, and scored on a double to left by Ethan Mocchi (Sr., Champlin).
The second and third went scoreless before Carleton tied the score 1-1 in the fourth after a couple singles and an RBI sac fly. Cole Pengilly (Sr., Le Sueur) gave the Gusties a huge lift in the fifth with a two-out solo home run over the left field fence for a 2-1 advantage.
Gustavus then tacked three runs onto its lead in the sixth. Christenson singled to score Chris Knowles (Fy. New Ulm) and Novak ensued with a two-run double to the right center gap for a 5-1 lead. The Knights cut into the lead with a run in the eighth after two hits, but the Gusties got that one right back in the bottom half as Novak hit a single to left, scoring Patrick Timmer (So., Lakeville).
Charlie Hutchinson (Sr., Maple Grove) earned the win after throwing six innings, allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Damon Rademacher (Sr., Princeton) pitched three innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits and three strikeouts.
Novak went 4-for-5 in game two with a double, three RBI, and two stolen bases. Mochhi was also productive, hitting 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
Gustavus starts its playoff run as the home team against the No. 3/4/5 seed at 7 p.m. Thursday in Collegeville, Minn. Win or lose, the Gusties will play again Friday.