The Gustavus baseball team dropped to games to St. Olaf on Wednesday afternoon in Northfield. Gustavus lost game one 7-0, and game two, 5-4. Gustavus falls to 15-18 overall and 6-12 in MIAC play, while St. Olaf improves to 14-23 overall and 6-12 in MIAC play.
Game One – After a scoreless first inning, St. Olaf struck first blood in the bottom of the second. The Oles scored two runs on four hits, and almost scored a fifth run, but left fielder Erik Sveen (Excelsior, Minn.) threw out David Salzwedel (Appleton, Wis.) at home for the last out of the inning. Adam Johnson (St. Cloud, Minn.) and Salzwedel both hit doubles in the inning.
Gustavus could not produce any runs in response to St. Olaf in the third, going three-up, three-down to end the top half of the inning. St. Olaf took advantage of the opportunity and scored four runs on five hits to take a 6-0 lead. The Oles added another run in the top of the sixth to bring the score to a final at 7-0.
Pitcher Logan Peymann (Fairmont, Minn.) suffered the loss and falls to 1-2 on the season. Peymann threw two and one-third innings, giving up six runs on nine hits while striking out one and walking no one. Chris Kelly (Prior Lake, Minn.) also saw action on the mound, pitching three and two-thirds innings and giving up one run on four hits. Taylor Fish (Brandon Valley, S.D.), Boyden Lee (Fergus Falls, Minn.) and Max Laureano (Plymouth, Minn.) each had one of Gustavus’ three hits in the game.
Game Two – Gustavus jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two after Tim Miller (Eden Prairie, Minn.) singled to center field, scoring Drew Block (Rochester, Minn.) from second base and Michael Holbrook (St. Cloud, Minn.) from third.
St. Olaf responded in the bottom of the first inning, scoring four runs to take a 4-2 lead. Andrew Johnson gave the Oles a two-run edge after hitting a two-out, three-run home run down the right field line to score Sam Maus (Northfield, Minn.) and Erik Nelson (Edina, Minn.).
In the top of the second inning, Erik Sveen singled to bring home Garrett Fuchs (Cold Spring, Minn.) from third base and cut the Ole lead to 4-3. Fuchs doubled to center field to lead-off the inning for Gustavus.
St. Olaf scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a single up the middle by Dylan Porter. Porter brought in Salzwedel from third base giving the St. Olaf a 5-3 lead. Salzwedel hit a two-out triple earlier in the inning.
Gustavus’ comeback came up short in the seventh inning after the Gusties scored one run on two hits. Tim Miller singled, advanced to third base on an error by the St. Olaf right fielder, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Kellan Euerle (St. Cloud, Minn.).
Tim Miller went 3-for-3 with a run and two RBI in the loss. Fuchs, Laureano, Sveen and Lee each had a hit as well.
Taylor Fish suffered his first loss this season. The senior threw an inning, gave up four runs on two hits. Steven Zehms (Sherburn, Minn.) made his first appearance on the mound for Gustavus this season, pitching two and two-thirds innings, and giving up one run on four hits. Bryce Bintzler (Woodbury, Minn.) pitched two and one-thirds innings, giving up two hits and striking out one in his third appearance of the season.
Gustavus returns home to St. Peter on Saturday afternoon to wrap-up MIAC play with a doubleheader against St. Thomas. Saturday is also Senior Day and Parent Day, game one is schedule to start at 1:00 p.m.