ST. PETER, Minn. – After a week of inclement weather that caused a doubleheader to be postponed three different times, the Gustavus baseball team is now set for a pair of key Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference twin bills this weekend. The Gusties host Concordia at 2:30 p.m. Friday, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday, and then travel to Bethel for a 1 p.m. tilt Saturday. Sunday’s non-conference doubleheader at Minnesota-Morris has been cancelled and will not be made up.
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Playoff implications: This weekend’s games are critical in determining what the MIAC playoff field will look like. Gustavus is currently in the fifth spot and the first team on the outside looking in when it comes to postseason play. The Gusties hold a 7-5 record in the MIAC and have one less loss than Concordia, who enters the weekend 8-6 in the league. Only a sweep would move the Cobbers ahead of the Gusties. Saturday’s doubleheader in Arden Hills sets up another key matchup as the Royals enter the weekend 10-3 in the league and sit in third place. Bethel is making up the second game of a doubleheader against Macalester on Friday after dropping game one on Tuesday.
Record book watch: Shortstop Danny Carlson leads the team with 82 assists this season and now has 411 career assists. Only two Gusties have cracked the 400-assist mark in the history of the program – Carlson and Mike DesLauriers (2006-09). DesLauriers is the current record holder with 415 assists, meaning Carlson needs just five more helpers to break the program record. DesLauriers played in 150 career games, while Carlson will play in his 137th game Friday.
Scouting the Gusties: Gustavus enters the weekend with a 19-11 overall record after a MIAC sweep over St. Olaf last Saturday. The Gusties have relied on their offense to win games this season as they rank third in the league with 213 runs, 180 RBI, and a collective .309 batting average. Their .394 on-base percentage also ranks third in the conference, while drawing the second most walks at 114. Nolan Lepel and Matt Berkner lead the offense with .375 and .372 averages, respectively. Lepel has 30 RBI, which ranks third in the MIAC. Josh Chatfield is close behind with 28 RBI, ranking fifth in the league. Brice Panning and Connor Kern have been the first two starting options on the mound. Panning has a 3.25 ERA and 2-1 record after five starts and 27.2 innings, while Kern has a 5.68 ERA and 3-0 record after seven starts and 38 innings. Casey Lewandoski has the most appearances out of the pen at 15, and owns a 3.29 ERA and 3-0 record after 27.1 innings of relief.
Scouting the Cobbers: Concordia is nipping at the heels of Gustavus and in need of a sweep to leapfrog the Gusties in the league standings. The Cobbers most recently split at Hamline after splitting against Carleton as well. Concordia has a formidable pitching staff that holds a 4.50 ERA, which ranks fourth in the league. Grant Toivonen and Nate Hoeft lead the offense with .341 and .337 averages, respectively. Cole Christensen and Fletcher Andel both have a team-high eight starts on the mound. Christensen owns a 3.12 ERA and 4-3 record after 49 innings, while Andel has a 5.09 ERA and 4-3 record after 46 innings. Joe Hallock is the top option out of the bullpen with a team-high 12 appearances, 3.00 ERA, and four saves after 15 innings.
Scouting the Royals: Bethel enters the weekend with an impressive 25-6 overall record. The Royals have a balanced attack by leading the league in RBI (231), triples (11), sacrifice flies (23), batting average (.329), on-base percentage (.406), ERA (3.02), shutouts (6), and opponents’ batting average (.234). Brandon Meyer and John Horner lead the offense with .386 and .380 averages, respectively. Bryce Marquardt leads the league with 16 stolen bases, while Bret Neuville has 32 RBI, which is second most in the conference. Michael Willman has made a team-high 10 starts and owns a 2.89 ERA and 5-2 record after 56 innings. Jake Marsh has made a team-high 16 appearances, all in relief, with a 2.53 ERA, 2-0 record, and four saves after 21.1 innings.