Junior pitcher Niki Seal scattered just five hits through 14 innings of work to lead Hamline to a doubleheader sweep of Gustavus, 6-0 and 3-0, Sunday afternoon at Helen Meredith Field.
Seal ran her record to 15-6 on the year, while walking just one batter and fanning 10 on the day.
The Pipers (19-12, 10-6 in the MIAC) scored all the runs they would need in the first inning of game one. After a leadoff single, Amanda Gage reached second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, senior shortstop Marion Zillhardt plated the game’s first run with a triple to right center.
Zillhardt knocked in four of the Pipers’ six runs in game one. In the third inning, she added an RBI double and later scored on a Seal single. In the sixth, Zillhardt hit a two-run double off Gustie starter Molly Biehn (10-7). Zillhardt finished the game going 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple and two doubles.
Gage was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs. Third baseman Julia Rossini added two hits and an RBI. Designated hitter Nicole McCown also had two hits while Hamline outhit the Gusties (17-13, 11-5) 14-4 in game one.
Gustie Audrey Lenoch had two of the four Gustie hits in the game.
As the winds picked up, Seal became more dominant. In game two, Seal allowed just two base runners – a single in the first by Lenoch and a sixth inning walk to Claire Mielke. The Gusties did not get a runner safely to second base in the game.
Hamline scored three unearned runs in the first off starter Sara Medved (7-5). After a leadoff single, Gage stole second. Center fielder Rachael Young then hit a pop up behind third base that Gustie shortstop Kristin Kunz lost in the wind, dropped and kicked out of play to score Gage.
Zillhardt then reached on an error to put runners at the corners. Young would later score when catcher Abby Bernstein threw the ball into center field on an attempted steal by Zillhardt. Seal knocked in Zillhardt with an RBI groundout for the game’s final tally. The Pipers had just four hits in the contest.
(Story Courtesy Troy Mallet, Hamline Sports Information)