The Gustavus baseball team was swept by St. Thomas in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Wednesday in St. Peter. The Gusties fell 6-0 in game one and then pushed the Tommies to extra innings before falling 3-2 in 11 innings.
St. Thomas 6, Gustavus Adolphus 0
St. Thomas put two runs each on the board in the third, fourth and fifth innings, while pounding out 12 hits and taking advantage of three Gustie errors. Tommy pitcher Dan Leslie pitched a complete-game two-hitter with seven strikeouts to record the win. Leslie faced the minimum number of batters in four of seven innings and only allowed two runners to reach second base.
Mike DesLauriers recorded both Gustavus hits during game one with a single to left field in the second inning and a double to left center in the seventh.
Josh Spitzack took the loss to fall to 3-2, allowing six runs (three earned) with one strikeout and one walk in seven innings of work. He also allowed three doubles and was touched by Tommy catcher Zach Goldberg for a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
St. Thomas 3, Gustavus Adolphus 2 (11 innings)
The Tommies wasted little time getting on the board in game two, striking with back-to-back doubles to take a 1-0 lead after just one-half inning. St. Thomas would extend the lead to 2-0 in the third inning as shortstop Mike Kimlinger scored on a rbi ground-out by by Jordan Roering.
Gustavus would score a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, though, to tie the score at 2-2. With one out, Andy Schmidt singled through the right side and advanced to second as Mike Bohnen followed with a single to right field. A walk issued to Tyler Kaus loaded the bases, bringing up Aaron Madson with two outs in the inning. Madson laced a hard-hit ground ball in the direction of Kimlinger who made a low throw in the direction of first baseman Sean Young. Young made the dig, but the ball popped out as he raised his glove. Young snatched the ball out of the air while in contact with the base, but the damage had already been done. Madson had reached safely and Schmidt and Bohnen had scored to tie the game. Relief pitcher Erik Olson entered the game for St. Thomas at that point and induced Wade Vrieze to pop out to second base to end the inning.
Neither team was able to muster any offense in the sixth or seventh frames, sending the game into extra innings. Gustavus a good opportunity in the bottom of the eighth inning, but could not manufacture a run after Kaus opened the inning with a single up the middle. The Tommies gambled with the ensuing bunt by Madson, choosing to force Kaus at second and take the lead runner away than taking the out at first base. A pair of ground outs moved Madson to second base, but also brought the inning to a close.
After advancing runners to second in both the ninth and tenth innings, St. Thomas broke through with a run in the top of the eleventh inning. Sean Young opened the frame with a single through the left side and advanced to second base as Gustavus reliever Andrew Hoffer hit Dan Leslie with a pitch. A bunt single by Matt Pexa loaded the bases, allowing Louie Salmen to knock Young in with a sacrifice fly to center field. Chris Carrino reached on a fielder’s choice as Hoffer fielded Carrino’s bunt and flipped the ball to catcher Shea Roehrkasse, who tagged Leslie out at the plate. A pop-up to Madson closed out the inning.
The Gusties were unable to respond in their half of the inning as Olson retired Vrieze, Siering and Ben Sherer in order to secure the win for the Tommies.
Schmidt and Kaus each recorded a pair of hits for the Gusties, who were out-hit 10-6 by St. Thomas. Hoffer picked up the loss after pitching four innings of relief, allowing a pair of hits while striking out two.
The Gusties will be on the road for their next four games, facing MIAC rival Hamline in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon before meeting Simpson in a non-conference doubleheader Sunday in Indianola, Iowa.