For the second straight weekend, the Gustavus Adolphus baseball team picked up a doubleheader split at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The Gusties fell to Luther 4-0 in game one and then responded with a 14-5 win in game two. Pat Siering went 2-for-4 in game two with a two-run triple and a grand slam home run to lead the Gusties.
Game One — Luther 4, Gustavus 0
Gustavus dropped game one of the doubleheader 4-0 as Luther picked up all four if its runs in the bottom of the third inning. Kyle Schroeder blasted a three-run homerun to lead the Norse. Gustavus turned the game’s only double play on defense, but stranded seven baserunners and were limited to just four hits on offense.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when the Norse picked up all four of their runs. With two outs, Nate Neis rapped a triple to left center field off Gustavus reliever Alan Woitas (Fr., Sleepy Eye, Minn./St. Mary’s). Neis scored on a single down the right field line by Alex Ross that vaulted off first base and out of the reach of Gustie first baseman Pat Siering (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.). The inning continued for the Norse as Jake Waddle reached on a bunt single. Kyle Schroeder brought both Ross and Waddle home with a three-run home run down the left field line to put Luther up 4-0.
The Gusties had an opportunity to answer in the top of the fourth as Shea Roehrkasse (Jr., Jackson Hole, Wyo.) reached on a single through the left side and moved to third on a double to deep right field by Siering with only one out. The pair would be stranded, however, as Tyler Kaus (Jr., St. James, Minn.) lined out hard to shortstop and Ethan Armstrong (So., Wheaton, Minn.) hit a roller back to the first baseman.
Gustavus put two runners on again in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs already on the board, Siering singled up the middle and Kaus doubled to left field, but the pair was stranded as pinch hitter Andy Woitas (Fr., Sleepy Eye, Minn./St. Mary’s) struck out looking to end the inning.
Joe Nelson pitched five innings to get the win for the Norse, giving up only two hits while striking out four. Nate Todd pitched two innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and striking out a trio of Gustie batters.
Gustavus starting pitcher Kraig Olson (Jr., Blooming Prairie, Minn.) allowed only one hit in two innings. Alan Woitas took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in one inning of work. Tory Herman (Fr., Shoreview, Minn.) held the Norse hitless and struck out two while working the fourth and Charlie Cicalello (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) allowed a pair of hits while pitching the final two innings of the game.
Siering finished 2-for-3 in game one with a double. Roehrkasse and Kaus accounted for the other two Gustavus hits. Nate Neis finished 2-for-2 with a triple, while Waddle went 2-for-3 to lead the Norse offensively.
Game Two — Gustavus 14, Luther 5
Following a scoreless opening frame, the Norse pushed one run across in the top of the second inning. After Gustie starting pitcher Dave Wold (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) loaded the bases due to a hit batsman and a pair of walks, Norse left fielder Alex Ross rapped a shot to third base that was bobbled by Tory Herman, allowing Nate Neis to score.
Gustavus pulled even in the bottom half of the frame as Tyler Kaus scored on a RBI triple to right center field by Spencer Campion (Fr., Plymouth, Minn.). The three-bagger came in Campion’s first collegiate plate appearance.
Luther took a 5-1 lead with four runs in the top of the third inning. Kyle Schroeder scored on a RBI single to left field after reaching on a throwing error and moving to third on a pair of stolen bases. Troy Peterson scored on a Joe Nelson sacrifice fly before Alex Thomas knocked a pair in on a double to right field.
The Gusties responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third. The highlight of the inning was a two-RBI triple by Pat Siering that scored Tony Konicek (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo) and Shea Roehrkasse. Mike DesLauriers (So., Minnetonka, Minn/Benilde-St. Margaret) had scored earlier in the inning on a RBI single by Roehrkasse and Tyler Kaus knocked Siering in with a double to left center.
Gustavus added four more runs in the fourth on Siering’s grand slam and then five more in the fifth inning. In the fifth, Robby Wiens (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.) scored on a RBI double by DesLauriers to left center followed by a ground-rule double by Konicek down the left field line that scored DesLauriers and Nate Ruff (So., Bloomington, Minn.). Roehrkasse knocked in Konicek with a double to left center field to make the score 13-5 and then scored as Kaus reached on an error before Campion grounded out to end the inning.
Konicek finished 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored to lead the Gusties, while Roehrkasse was 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Siering had the two big hits to finish 2-for-4 with six RBI and a pair of runs scored. Ruff added a pair of hits and DesLauriers scored three runs.
Seven different Norse picked up hits in game two with Alex Thomas picking up the only extra-base hit — a double — to finish 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Dave Wold pitched two innings of hitless ball for the Gusties with a pair of walks and one run allowed. Brandon Knoll (So., Princeton, Minn.) was credited with the win after pitching two innings of three-hit ball, allowing one run and striking out three after relieving Chad Schnettler (Jr., Sartell, Minn.), who allowed three runs on two hits without recording an out Jake Kruegel (Fr., Apple Valley, Minn.) pitched the final two innings allowing two hits and walking one.
The Norse used five pitchers with the loss going to Paul Pichelman. Pichelman allowed four runs on two hits in two innings of work after entering the game in relief of starter Adam Kohls, who allowed five runs on eight hits in two innings on the mound.
During the game, the Gusties knocked out season-highs in hits (14) and runs (14).
Gustavus will travel to Arizona March 22-25 for the team’s annual trip. The Gusties will face UW-Whitewater, Southern Maine, Thomas (Me.), and Middlebury (Vt.) in doubleheaders during the trip.