The Gustavus baseball team opened its 2011 season with a couple of heartbreaking losses to Williams College in Phoenix, Arizona. The Gusties dropped the first game of a doubleheader 5-2 in nine innings and then were edged out in the finale 2-1. Coach Mike Carroll’s squad will play 12 games in six days on their Spring Break trip to the Russ Matt Greater Phoenix Invitational.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Williams scored three times in the top of the ninth inning to break open a 2-2 deadlock and claim the 5-2 victory. Cody Sukalski started and pitched five innings allowing two runs on seven hits. Tom Jaede pitched three and one-third innings allowing two runs on six hits and Bryce Bintzler finished up allowing one run in two-thirds of an inning. Max Laureano was the hitting star with two hits in four at-bats. Laureano drove in the Gusties first run with a double in the third to tie the score at 1-1 and then added his second RBI with a single driving in Euerle to tie the score at 2-2 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the second game, first year Kellan Euerle made his first collegiate start on the mound one to remember as he registered a complete game scattering six hits, while striking out five and walking one. The Gusties struggled at the plate scratching out just four hits and scoring one run.
“Overall, we played well, but you could tell it was our first two games of the season.” stated Coach Carroll. “In game two, we got some great pitching from Kellan Eurele and we were solid in the field, but we just weren’t hitting the ball. Regardless of the outcome, it was good to get outside and start playing baseball.”
Carroll was encouraged by Eurele’s effort on the mound stating, “He pitched exceptional and looked like a veteran out there. He is a control pitcher and he did a great job of staying ahead of hitters and keeping the ball down.”