The Gustavus Adolphus baseball team kept itself in the thick of things for a spot in the MIAC Playoffs Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Saint Mary’s, 4-1 and 17-11. Dave Wold pitched a complete game, six-hitter to get the win in game one, while Aaron Madson hit two home runs and a double and knocked in four runs during game two.
Game 1 – Gustavus Adolphus 4, Saint Mary’s 1
Led by a home run to right field to open the fourth inning, the Gustavus Adolphus baseball team moved over the .500 mark on the conference season with a 4-1 win over Saint Mary’s in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in St. Peter.
Schmidt’s home run was the first of two runs in the Gustavus fourth inning. The other came courtesy of a rbi double to left center that scored Tyler Kaus from third. Kaus had earlier reached on an error by the Cardinals second baseman.
Gustavus added two more runs in the fifth off relief pitcher Dan Cosgrove. Shea Roehrkasse and Wade Vrieze hit back-to-back singles to score Pat Siering, who had opened the frame by drawing a walk. Kaus followed three batters later with a two-out rbi double to right field that scored Roehrkasse.
The Cardinals used back to back doubles in the top of the sixth inning — one to right field, the other down the left field line — to avoid the shut out. Wold allowed a single to right fielder Robbie Johnson later in the inning, but nothing would come of it.
Tony Konicek and Mike DesLauriers each registered a pair of hits as the Gusties out-hit the Cardinals 9-6. Roehrkasse, Vrieze, Schmidt and Kaus each went 1-for-3, while Madson finished 1-for-4 with a double. Wold pitched a complete game, allowing one run on six hits while striking out three and walking only one to improve to 3-1 on the season.
Cardinal starter Matt Popek took the loss, pitching four innings, allowing two runs on six hits before giving way to Cosgrove.
Game 2 – Gustavus Adolphus 17, Saint Mary’s 11
The second game proved to be a slugfest as the teams combined for 28 runs on 33 hits, including 13 for extra bases. The teams also combined for five home runs during the contest, led by Gustavus’ Aaron Madson with two.
Saint Mary’s got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning off Gustavus starter Charlie Cicalello. Lead-off batter Nick Winecke drew a walk and was moved around to third base by a double by center fielder Brady Knudson and scored on a single by second baseman Kevin Black. The Gusties got out of the inning by catching Black on an attempted steal and inducing an inning-ending double play.
Gustavus responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, fueled by an rbi triple by Pat Siering that scored Konicek and a Wade Vrieze rbi double down the left field line that scored Roehrkasse from third. Roehrkasse had reached on an rbi single to right field that the fielder overran. After retiring the side in order in the top of the second inning, the Gustavus bats went back to work in the bottom half scoring a pair of runs on back-to-back solo home runs by Madson and Konicek, giving the Gusties a 5-1 lead.
The Cardinal bats woke up in the third inning, though, as two of the first three batters reached base. A rbi double by Knudson that scored left fielder David Reiter and an ensuing single up the middle by Black spelled the end of Cicalello’s day on the mound. Gustie relief pitcher Andrew Hoffer was only able to record one out, but only after issuing walks to three straight Saint Mary’s batters, one to load the bases and two more for runs. After fielding a ball and recording a force-out at home plate, Hoffer was lifted in favor of Chad Schnettler, who promptly cleared the bases with a single to right field that was misplayed by the fielder, giving the Cardinals a 7-5 lead. A pop-up to Roehrkasse in foul territory brought the inning to an end.
Saint Mary’s extended its lead to 9-5 in the fourth inning with two runs on three hits. The first run crossed on a rbi single up the middle by Cosgrove, while the second was plated on a Robbie Johnson fielder’s choice that forced Cosgrove at second base. Madson homered to right center in the bottom half of the inning to cut the Saint Mary’s lead to 9-6.
The Gusties exploded for six runs in the fifth inning, led by Roehrkasse who led off the inning with a home run to right center and later added a rbi single through the left side. Nate Ruff and Konicek each added a two-rbi double during the frame as the Gusties surged back into the lead, 12-9.
The Cardinals got one run back in the sixth inning, as Andy Schmidt allowed three consecutive hits, capped off by a rbi single through the left side by pinch hitter Satoshi Hayashi that scored Cosgrove.
The Cardinal celebration was short-lived, though, as the Gusties plated five more runs in the sixth inning. Schmidt opened the inning with a single and was moved to second on a bunt single by Mike DesLauriers. A sacrifice bunt by Robby Wiens and a walk to Nate Ruff loaded the bases for Madson, who drove in Schmidt and DesLauriers with a single to center field. Pat Siering followed with a single to left field that scored Ruff. Roehrkasse then launched a Grant Barthel offering to right center field, doubling off the top of the wall. Siering and Madson scored on the play to give Gustavus a 17-11 lead.
Spencer Barron would come on for the Gusties to pitch the seventh inning and would allow a home run to right center to Nick Winecke and a single to center field to Brady Knudsen before closing out the game with a fly-out and a strike-out.
Madson and Roehrkasse each finished 4-for-4 to lead the Gusties. Madson scored four time and drove in four, while Roehrkasse drove in a team-high five runs. Konicek added three runs scored and three rbi while going 2-for-5, while Siering and Ruff each drove in a pair. Siering, Vrieze and DesLauriers each had multiple-hit games.
Brandon Knoll (1-2) picked up the win for the Gusties by pitching a scoreless fifth inning.
Brady Knudsen, Kevin Black and Dan Cosgrove each finished with three hits, while driving in one for the Cardinals.
Gustavus (17-10, 7-5 MIAC) will step out of the conference Sunday for a home doubleheader against Wartburg. The Gusties will also host Macalester Tuesday in a MIAC doubleheader.