SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team opened MIAC play Monday with a doubleheader sweep over Hamline. The Gusties won game one 5-4 and then erupted for a 10-2 decision in the nightcap. Gustavus improves to 6-8 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC, while the Pipers drop to 4-15 overall and 0-2 in the league.
Gustavus 5, Hamline 4 | BOX SCORE
Hamline got out to an early 3-0 lead with one run in the first and two more in the second after four hits. Luke Siegle (So., Blaine) settled down after a shaky start, with scoreless innings in the third, fourth, and fifth, before allowing one more run in the sixth and ending his day after 5.2 innings.
The Gusties got their first run in the third as Patrick Timmer (Sr., Lakeville) singled, stole second, and scored on hit by Sam Schneider (Fy., Rochester). Another Gustie run was scored in the fourth as Drake Siens (Jr., Rogers) walked and later scored on a groundout by Timmer.
Gustavus took the lead for good in the fifth with three runs on five hits. Jack Hanson (Sr., Minnetonka) and Gavin Baker (Sr., Lakeville) both singled, setting up an RBI single off the bat of Chris Knowles (Jr., New Ulm). Two batters later, Nick Azar (Sr., Edina) singled home Baker, and Logan Bjorkman (Sr., Lindstrom) singled in Knowles.
Siegle, who moved to 4-0 on the season, gave way to Damon Rademacher (Sr., Princeton) with two outs in the sixth. Rademacher worked out of jams in the sixth and seventh to pick up his second save of the season.
Azar led the team at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI.
Gustavus 10, Hamline 2 | BOX SCORE
The Gustie bats ramped up the pressure in the second game behind a strong pitching performance from Mitch Casperson (Jr., Le Sueur). Casperson was perfect the first time through the lineup and had just one bad pitch in seven innings of work, giving up a two-run homer in the sixth for the Pipers’ only runs of the game.
Gustavus took an early 2-0 lead in the first after Bryce Novak (Sr., Cleveland) singled and Hanson followed with a homer over the left field fence. The Gusties went up 3-0 in the third as Hanson walked and later scored on a single by Knowles.
The game broke open in the fifth as the Gusties plated four runs on four runs, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Baker and an RBI double by Siens.
The Gusties added two insurance runs in the eighth with a two-out rally. Bjorkman hit a triple to the right-center gap and Tomas Nelson (Fy., Maplewood) hit him home with a single. Nelson then scored as Hanson picked up his fourth hit of the game.
Lane Glaser (Sr., Hutchinson) and Brevin Goetz (So., Rochester) each tosses one inning of scoreless relief.
Hanson (4-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR) and Novak (4-5, R, RBI) led the offense, which collected 15 total hits.
Gustavus next hosts Crown College on Thursday at 1 p.m. for a single nine inning game before hosting Concordia for a conference doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday.