The Gustavus baseball team fell to 1-4 on its Spring Break Trip to Arizona by dropping two games to Oberlin College of Ohio on Monday afternoon by the scores of 6-11 and 0-2. The Gusties led 6-3 in game one before Oberlin exploded for 8 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to claim the victory. In game two, Oberlin scored once in the first and once in the seventh to sneak past Gustavus 2-0. Bryce Bintzler pitched well for the Gusties scattering seven hits in seven innings of work . Gustavus will face Thomas College of Maine in a doubleheader on Tuesday with the first game starting at 11 am (CDT).
In game one, the Gusties took a 6-3 lead in the third inning by scoring five runs on three hits and three Oberlin errors. The big hits in the inning were a leadoff double by Cody Sukalski and an RBI single by Erik Sveen. Gustavus maintained its 6-3 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning when Oberlin scored eight runs on four hits and one error. The Yeoman were aided by four walks and a wild pitch. Cody Sukalski led Gustavus at the plate with two hits in four at-bats and two runs scored. Tim Miller suffered the loss on the mound allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits in five and one-third innings of work.
In game two, Gustavus got a strong pitching effort from Bintzler and played solid defense with only one error, but the bats were silent as the Gusties managed only two hits in the game. Oberlin manufactured its first run in the third inning with a leadoff walk, a single, a sacrifice bunt, and an infield ground out that scored the leadoff runner from third. In the seventh inning, the Yeoman added an insurance run after a leadoff double and two sacrifice bunts. The Gusties threatened in the second when Taylor Fish ripped a one-out triple down the right field line, but the Gusties were unable to push Fish across the plate. Gustavus threatened again in the third when Sukalski slapped a one-out triple down the right field line, but the inning ended when the next batter, Fish flew out to left field and Sukalski was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play.
The Gusties were unable to take advantage of a strong pitching performance by Bintzler who scattered seven hits, while striking out one and walking one in seven innings of work.