The Gustavus baseball team wrapped up Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a satisfying doubleheader sweep over Concordia-Moorhead on Saturday afternoon in St. Peter. The Gusties won the first game 6-1 behind the strong pitching of Kellan Euerle and then claimed game two 4-3 thanks to a clutch one-out, bases loaded single by Timmy Miller that scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the two victories, the Gusties finished with a 10-10 record in league play and fifth place in the conference standings. The top four teams qualify for the MIAC Playoffs.
In game one, the Gusties scored twice in the first inning and never looked back on its way to a 6-1 victory. Gustavus made the most of its eight hits, while also taking advantage of six Concordia errors . Pitcher Kellan Euerle wrapped up a successful freshman campaign as he scattered seven hits while allowing one earned run. Euerle finished with a record of 3-3 overall and an earned run average of 3.00, the best by a starter on the Gustavus staff. Senior Mitch Johnson made the most of “Senior Day” as he went 1-for-3 at the plate, while driving in three runs. Taylor Fish was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and Timmy Miller was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and 1 rbi.
In game two, senior Cody Sukalski made the final start of his four-year Gustie career a good one as he tossed four-and-one-third innings allowing four hits and three earned runs while striking out three and walking two. Sukalski gave way to Taylor Fish in the top of the fifth inning and Fish shut the Cobbers down the rest of the way allowing two hits and no runs in two-and-two-thirds inning of work. Fish was credited with the win and improved to 4-1 on the season with a miniscule 0.36 earned run average. Scott Benjamin’s one-out double in the bottom of the first inning drove in Timmy Miller and Erik Sveen giving the Gusties a 2-0 lead. Concordia would battle back to cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the third and then scored twice in the top of the fifth to tie the score at 3-3. Miller’s key hit in the bottom of the seventh scored Kellan Euerle with the winning run.
Gustavus finished its 2011 season with a 9-4 record at Gustie baseball field.