ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Gustavus baseball team played three games at Washington University on Sunday and Monday, splitting the Sunday doubleheader 9-8, 2-6, and then falling 7-3 on Monday. The Gusties drop to 3-8 overall while the Bears improve to 13-4.
Gustavus 9, WashU 8 | BOX SCORE
The Gusties erased two deficits in game one of the Sunday doubleheader with the second coming off a two-run homer by Gavin Baker (Sr., Lakeville) in the ninth inning, which proved to be the game-winning hit.
WashU took a 3-0 lead in the first two innings on just one hit, three walks, and an error. The Gusties got two runs back in the third. A single by Tomas Nelson (Fy., Maplewood) and back-to-back walks issued to Bryce Novak (Sr., Cleveland) and Jack Hanson (Sr., Minnetonka) loaded the bases for Baker who followed with an RBI single up the middle. Chris Knowles (Jr., New Ulm) then was issued a bases-loaded walk for the free RBI.
The Bears took a 4-2 lead in the bottom half after a walk, single, and RBI groundout. Gustavus took its first lead in the fourth with three runs on two hits. Novak hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded for the first run. Hanson then hit an RBI single to left followed by another RBI single from Baker for a 5-4 lead.
The Gusties then went up 7-4 in the fifth on three hits and an error. Sam Schneider (Fy., Rochester) had an RBI single followed by a run-scoring single by Novak. WashU chipped away at the lead in the sixth with a run and then took an 8-7 lead in the seventh on four hits.
Down to the final three outs and trailing by one, Novak led off the ninth by reaching on an error and two batters later Baker sent a high fly over the left center fence to gain the lead.
Damon Rademacher (Sr., Princeton) tossed the final two frames and stranded the game-tying run at third in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory. Rademacher struck out one and did not allow a hit.
Hanson (3-5, RBI, 2B, BB) and Baker (3-5, R, 5 RBI, HR, HBP) led the team at the plate.
Gustavus 2, WashU 6 | BOX SCORE
WashU took another early lead in game two with a run in the first on two hits before the Gusties went ahead 2-1 in the third. Novak led off with a single and two batters later, Baker hit his second homer of the day over the left center fence. But that proved to be all the offense in game two for the Gusties.
The Bears took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a pair of hits and added two insurance runs in the seventh and another in the eighth.
Jayce Luna (Sr., Le Sueur) took the loss after six innings on the mound, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and three strikeouts.
The Gusties were limited to eight hits with Logan Bjorkman (Sr., Lindstrom), Nick Azar (Sr., Edina), and Nelson each hitting two.
Gustavus 3, WashU 7 | BOX SCORE
All of the runs in game three were scored in the third through sixth innings on Monday.
Baker continued his impressive play at the plate with a solo homer in the third, again sending the ball over the left field fence. The Bears took a 2-1 advantage in the fourth on three hits.
Gustavus went back in front 3-2 in the fifth as Knowles hit an RBI double down the left field line followed by a run-scoring groundout by Azar. The Bears tied the game in the bottom half with a sac fly.
WashU scored what proved to be the game-deciding runs in the sixth on four hits.
Novak (2-5) and Knowles (2-4, RBI, 2 2B) led at the plate. Mitch Casperson (Jr., Le Sueur) took the pitching loss after five innings with six earned runs on 10 hits and one strikeout.
The Gusties are scheduled to host Crown College on Wednesday for their home opener, but that single nine-inning game may be cancelled due to the weather and snow on the field. The following game is Friday at Northwestern-St. Paul.