The Gustavus baseball team failed to rally in the final three innings of a suspended game with Saint Mary’s and suffered a 7-3 loss to the Cardinals in St. Peter on Thursday afternoon. The game, which originally started on April 21, was resumed in the bottom of the fourth inning with Saint Mary’s leading 7-1. The Gusties scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 7-3, but the Cardinals held on for the victory.
The Gusties scored their two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on one hit and three Cardinal errors. Pat Siering opened the inning with a single, but was wiped out on a double-play ground ball by Eric Bigham. Shea Roehrkasse reached on a Cardinal fielding error and then Spencer Campion reached on a Cardinal throwing error. Roehrkasse and Campion scored when Robby Wiens hit a ball that was once again misplayed by a St. Mary’s infielder. Brandon Boyd flied out to left field to end the inning.
Charlie Cicalello pitched three innings for Gustavus allowing four hits and no runs. Andy Pass pitched the final three and one-third innings in relief of Matt Wilgenbush for Saint Mary’s. Pass was credited with the win.
Gustavus has hit a tough spell over the last two weeks losing eight of its last 10 games and seven straight. The Gusties have been getting some hits (56 in the eight losses for an average of 7 hits a game), but they have stranded 53 runners (an average of 6.7 per game).
Coach Mike Carroll and his squad will close out conference play with a doubleheader at home against Augsburg on Sunday at 1:00 pm. It will be Senior Day and Parent’s Day for the final home doubleheader of the season. The Gusties, who are in a tie for sixth place at 10-8, can clinch a playoff spot with a sweep of Augsburg and one loss by Bethel in its final three games. If the Gusties were to split with the Auggies the playoff possibilities become much more complicated.