The Gustavus Adolphus College baseball team outhit the University of St. Thomas 20-10 Monday afternoon but a pair of key errors in game one left the Gusties with a split in a doubleheader at UST’s Koch Diamond.The Tommies took game one, 3-2, in ten innings, while the Gusties took the nightcap by a 6-3 score. Tony Konicek (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo) led the Gusties going 6-for-9 on the day.
Game One – No. 20 St. Thomas 3, Gustavus Adolphus 2 (10 innings)
The Gusties pounded out nine hits in game one and received eight innings of four-hit ball from starting pitcher Andrew Hoffer (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.), but a pinch-hit RBI single by Bobby Schmitz that plated Louie Salmen with one out in the bottom of the tenth inning proved to be the difference maker in game one as the No. 20-ranked Tommies escaped with the 3-2 victory.
Gustavus plated one run in the top of the third inning as Konicek plated Nate Ruff (So., Bloomington, Minn.) with a RBI double to left field, but St. Thomas evened the score in the fifth by manufacturing a run. Matt Pexa walked to open the frame, moved to second on a bunt and then to third on a single by Salmen before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Ben Ahrens.
The Gusties opened the eighth inning with a double from Konicek and a single by Shea Roehrkasse (Jr., Jackson, Wyo./Jackson Hole), but would only push one run across as Pat Siering (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) brought Konicek home with a sacrifice fly to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. The Toms were down to their last out in the eighth when Mark Boland reached on a two-out throwing error. A double by Matt Olson and a throwing error on the relay allowed the Toms knot the score.
Hoffer allowed just one earned run and four hits in eight innings but didn’t get a decision. After Riley Bosch scattered seven hits in six innings of work for St. Thomas, Chris Bullis worked the final four innings in relief to get the victory. Bullis retired the last eight batters he faced.
Konicek accounted for four of Gustavus’ nine hits, while Mike DesLauriers (So., Minnetonka, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s) notched a pair of singles.
Game Two – Gustavus Adolphus 6, No. 20 St. Thomas 3
Gustavus outhit St. Thomas 11-4 in game two as all nine Gustie batters recorded at least one hit. A two-run single down the left-field line by Spencer Campion (Fr., Plymouth, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s) keyed a four-run second inning for the Gusties. Alan Woitas (Fr., Sleepy Eye, Minn./St. Mary’s) and Ruff each chipped in with RBI singles during the frame. Gustavus would extend the lead to 5-0 in the top of the third on a RBI single by Andy Woitas (Fr., Sleepy Eye, Minn./St. Mary’s).
The Tommies would cut the lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, but would get no closer than three runs. Each team would plate another run in the fifth inning, however.
David Wold (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) allowed two earned runs and struck out four in five innings to improve to 3-0 on the season, while Charlie Cicalello (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) retired all six batters he faced for the two-inning save. Konicek and Roehrkasse each finished 2-for-4 to lead the Gusties in game two.
Weather permitting, Gustavus (7-5, 1-1 MIAC) will step out of league play to face Wartburg College Tuesday afternoon in Waverly, Iowa. The Gusties will return to MIAC play Saturday as they open their new field with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Hamline.