The Gustavus Adolphus baseball team picked up its fourth split in five doubleheaders Wednesday with a split against Concordia College in Moorhead. The Gusties fell 8-7 in game one after leading at one point 7-2, but rebounded to take the second game, 12-1. Gustavus (15-5, 5-5 MIAC) was led by Wade Vrieze, who went 5-for-8 with three doubles and a triple. Vrieze also drove in three and scored four times.
Game 1 – Concordia College 8, Gustavus Adolphus 7
Concordia erased a 7-2 deficit in the final two innings of game one to eke out an 8-7 victory over the Gusties. The Cobbers scored three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to get the win, as Brian Knoblauch hit a one-out single through the right side of a drawn-in Gustavus infield to score Brian Schumacher from third base for the winning run.
The Gusties fell behind early as the Cobbers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs in the inning, Gustavus starter Andy Schmidt (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) issued back-to-back walks to Concordia batters. Cobber catcher Kyle Johnson drove both runners in with a double to left field to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Gustie center fielder Tony Konicek (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) ended the inning by gunning Johnson out at the plate following a single by Concordia’s Matt Youngquist.
Gustavus exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth inning on five hits and a pair of Cobber errors. Aaron Madson (Sr., North Mankato, Minn.) opened the frame with a triple to right field. Ben Sherer (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.) and Konicek reached on back-to-back errors at third base by the Cobbers, plating Madson for the Gusties’ first run. Shea Roehrkasse (So., Jackson Hole, Wyo.) loaded the bases with a single to left field before Wade Vrieze (Jr., Richfield, Minn.) plated both Sherer and Konicek with a two-rbi double to left field to put Gustavus up 3-2. An rbi fielder’s choice by Nate Ruff (Fr., Bloomington, Minn.) scored Roehrkasse, while a rbi single by Tyler Kaus (So., St. James, Minn.) brought Vrieze home. Ruff scored on a Mike DesLauriers fielder’s choice that forced Kaus at second base for out number two. The speedy freshman from Minnetonka, Minn. stole second base and rounded out the scoring as he crossed the plate on a Konicek rbi single to right field.
The Gusties would maintain their five-run lead until the sixth inning when the Cobbers put three runs on the board behind a pair of doubles, a single and a Gustavus error.
Vrieze led off the Gustavus half of the seventh inning with a double to left field and moved to third on a ground-out only to get caught in a rundown by the Cobber defense.
Concordia opened the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back doubles, the second of which scored a run and cut the Gustie lead to 7-6. Gustavus pitcher Josh Spitzack (West Concord, Minn.) entered the game in relief looking for the save, but became the pitcher of record after allowing back-to-back singles to the first two runners he faced. The hits allowed the lone inherited runner to score, tying the game at 7-7. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position and following an intentional walk to Scott Halupczok, Knoblauch ended the game with a rbi single to right field that pushed across the game-winning run.
Spitzack, who pitched just one-third of an inning, picked up the loss in relief. Gustavus starting pitcher Andy Schmidt pitched six innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits. Schmidt struck out three and walked a pair. Madson led the Gusties at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and a triple. Vrieze and Konicek each added a pair of hits.
Game 2 – Gustavus Adolphus 12, Concordia College 1
The Gusties used another big inning in game two, scoring six runs in the sixth inning to salvage the split with a 12-1 victory. Gustavus put the game’s first runs on the board in the second inning as Sherer doubled to right field and was driven as Vrieze tripled to right two batters later. Andy Schmidt followed that up with a single that scored Vrieze from third. Schmidt advanced to second on a single down the left field line by DesLauriers. Both runners would move into scoring position courtesy of a double-steal. Neither would score, though, as Kaus and Ruff were retired to end the inning.
Both teams would score a run in the third inning to give the Gusties a 3-1 lead. Aaron Madson scored for Gustavus, crossing the plate as the Cobbers turned a double play behind him.
Following a scoreless fourth and fifth inning for each team, the Gustie bats came through in the sixth, scoring six runs on seven hits. After Roehrkasse opened the inning with a ground-out to the shortstop, Gustavus rattled off five straight hits, including a double by Vrieze and a bunt single by DesLauriers, scoring three runs to boost their lead to 6-1. After Madson was retired due to a fly out, Konicek hit a rbi double down the left field line which scored Tyler Kaus. Ben Sherer followed with a two-rbi single to center field which brought Konicek in from second and Ruff in from third to lead 9-1.
The Gusties added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning with Spencer Barron and Vrieze scoring on a single by Ruff and Kaus scoring on a ground-out by Konicek.
Josh Spitzack went the distance for the Gusties, allowing only one run on six hits while striking out three.
Vrieze and Schmidt each recorded three hits to lead Gustavus offensively, which pounded out 17 during the game. Ruff, Madson, Sherer, DesLauriers and Kaus added two hits apiece, with Ruff driving in three.
The Gusties will host a pair of doubleheaders this weekend, facing Saint Mary’s in a MIAC contest Saturday afternoon before meeting nine-time defending Iowa Conference champion Wartburg Sunday.