Baseball Sweeps Macalester, Moves Winning Streak to Seven Games

The Gustavus baseball team put 22 runs on the board Tuesday and ran its winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep of Macalester in St. Peter. The Gusties took game one 11-2 and won game two 11-1. Shea Roehrkasse went 5-for-7 with two RBI, while Mike DesLauriers went 5-for-6 with two RBI to…

Nate Ruff flips the ball to Mike DesLauriers to get the lead runner out.
Nate Ruff flips the ball to Mike DesLauriers to get the lead runner out.

Senior pitcher Josh Spitzack picked up the win in game one, allowing two runs on seven hits.
Senior pitcher Josh Spitzack picked up the win in game one, allowing two runs on seven hits.

Second baseman Nate Ruff connects on a pitch.
Second baseman Nate Ruff connects on a pitch.

Ben Sherer stands at the plate while Wade Vrieze (l) and Shea Roehrkasse (r) take practice swings in the background.
Ben Sherer stands at the plate while Wade Vrieze (l) and Shea Roehrkasse (r) take practice swings in the background.

The Gustavus baseball team put 22 runs on the board Tuesday and ran its winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep of Macalester in St. Peter. The Gusties took game one 11-2 and won game two 11-1. Shea Roehrkasse (So., Jackson Hole, Wyo.) went 5-for-7 with two RBI, while Mike DesLauriers (Fr., Minnetonka, Minn.) went 5-for-6 with two RBI to lead Gustavus. The Gusties improve to 21-10 overall, 9-5 in the MIAC and will travel to Bethel for a doubleheader Saturday.

Game 1 – Gustavus Adolphus 11, Macalester 2
The Scots used three consecutive one-out singles and a fielder’s choice to plate a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but would be shut out the rest of the way as the Gusties scored 11 straight runs to record the 11-2 victory in game one.

Gustavus got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, all with two outs. DesLauriers drove in the first Gustie run with a single to center field that scored Wade Vrieze (Jr., Richfield, Minn.) from second base. The second run came courtesy of a bases-loaded walk issued to Nate Ruff (Fr., Bloomington, Minn.) that scored Andy Schmidt (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.). DesLauriers provided the inning’s final run, scoring from third on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning, Gustavus knocked out four hits and took advantage of four Macalester errors to extend the lead to 7-2.

The Gusties added four more runs in the fifth inning with DesLauriers and Ruff scoring on RBI singles to left field by Aaron Madson (Sr., North Mankato, Minn.) and Ben Sherer (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.), respectively, before Roehrkasse drove in Tony Konicek (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) and Madson with a two-RBI single to center field. Konicek had earlier reached on a walk. Vrieze drew a walk to load the bases, but all three runners would be stranded as Schmidt grounded out to end the inning.

Josh Spitzack (Sr., West Concord, Minn.) pitched five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out three to get the win. Chad Schnettler (So., Sartell, Minn.) would pitch two scoreless innings of relief, allowing three hits and striking out one.

DesLauriers led the Gusties offensively, going 4-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored. Roehrkasse added three hits and two RBI. Tyler Kaus (So., St. James, Minn.) was the only other Gustavus player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4. Sophomore designateed hitter John Simkins led Macalester with three hits, while Adam Wedwick and Andrew Percival each added a pair.

Game 2 – Gustavus Adolphus 11, Macalester 1
Gustavus gave Andy Schmidt plenty of run support in game two, plating at least one run in every inning, including five in the third to complete the sweep with an 11-1 victory.

The Gusties scored the game’s first run as Wade Vrieze drew a bases-loaded walk from Macalester starting pitcher Liam Bowen. Aaron Madson, who had reached on a walk himself earlier in the inning, came across to give Gustavus a 1-0 lead.

Two more runs came across in the second inning for Gustavus as Mike DesLauriers led off the inning with a walk and scored on a triple to right field by Tyler Kaus that evaded a diving Kyle Goerschler. A sacrifice fly to Goerschler by Nate Ruff scored Kaus to give the Gusties a 3-0 lead.

Gustie batters pounded out six hits in the third inning, scoring five runs to extend the lead to 8-0. Roehrkasse scored on a RBI single through the left side by Pat Siering (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.), while Vrieze scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by DesLauriers. With two outs, Madson and Tony Konicek each drove the ball to center field. Madson’s single drove in Siering, while Konicek’s double drove in both Madson and Ruff, who had earlier reached on a single up the middle. Konicek attempted to stretch the hit into a triple, but a smooth 8-4-5 relay caught the speedy Gustie center fielder for out number three.

The Gustavus lead was extended to 10-0 with lone runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Ben Sherer scored on a RBI ground-out by Siering in the fourth, while Kaus scored on a RBI single through the left side by Konicek in the fifth.

Charlie Cicalello (So., St. Paul, Minn.) started the sixth inning on the mound for the Gusties, relieving Schmidt, who had pitched five innings of one-hit ball. Macalester catcher Benjie Achtenberg welcomed the pitching change, sending a pitch over the head of Kaus in right field for a double. A single by Scots second baseman Adam Wedwick two batters later drove Achtenberg in for the lone Macalester run.

Gustavus scored the game’s final run in the sixth inning as pinch runner Jake Bohnen (Fr., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) scored from third on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and two outs.

Schmidt struck out four to get the win and improve to 4-0 on the season. Cicalello allowed one run on three hits in two innings of relief.

Konicek led the Gusties in game two, going 3-for-4 with three RBI in game two as Gustavus out-hit Macalester 14-4. Ruff, Roehrkasse and Siering each had multiple hits, while Siering drove in a pair. Wedwick was the only Macalester player with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a RBI.

Gustavus improves to 21-10 overall, 9-5 in the MIAC and will travel to Bethel for a doubleheader Saturday.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score