Scott Benjamin earned two runs off two hits in Friday's first game and recorded another two hits in the second game of the twin bill. Photo Courtesy of Sara Sneer
St. Peter, Minn. – After ten days of inclement weather and poor field conditions forcing postponed games and cancellations, the Gustavus Adolphus baseball team finally returned to the Gustie Baseball Field Friday afternoon, only to suffer a sweep at the hands of Carleton College. The Gusties fell 4-3 in a tightly-contested first game, but were unable to score a run in the second game, and consequently lost 10-0 after seven innings. Gustavus drops to 6-21 overall and 2-16 in the MIAC following Friday’s twin bill, while Carleton is now 21-12 overall and 11-7 in the MIAC.
Game One Recap
After two scoreless innings, Carleton struck first with three runs on three hits in the top of the third. David Stillerman hit a one-run single to right field put Carleton on the board 1-0. Hayden Tsutsui hit a double to right field to score Jeff Dsida before a Kevin Johnson scored Stillerman to put the Knights on top 3-0.
Gustavus answered Carleton’s big third inning with an offensive outburst of its own in the bottom of the frame. Taylor Bigandt (So., Littleton, Col.) got the scoring started with the Gusties’ first home run of the season. Bigandt’s long ball soared over the right field wall and cut the lead to 3-1. Later in the inning, Scott Benjamin (Sr., Northfield, Minn.) scored on a Garrett Fuchs (Jr., Cold Spring, Minn.) single to right field to cut the lead to 3-2, where it would stay until the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, Stillerman crossed home plate once more on an RBI single to right field by Nolan Baker put the Knights up 4-2.
The Gusties had an answer in the bottom of the seventh but they came just one run shy. After tripling to right field, Benjamin came around to score on a ground ball hit by Max Fidler (Jr., Lino Lakes, Minn.). The Gusties’ seventh inning rally wasn’t enough to notch the win, however, with the final score standing at 4-3 in favor of Carleton.
Both starters pitched seven complete innings, with Carleton’s Jack Violetta picking up the win. Violetta allowed three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and one walk.
Gustavus starter Grant Soderberg (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) allowed four runs (three earned) on ten hits with eleven strikeouts and one walk.
Game Two Recap
The Gustie offense was unable to generate a run in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader. Carleton’s David Stillerman kicked off the first inning with a double down the left field line, and later scored on a Kevin Johnson RBI single to right field to put Carleton up 1-0.
In the second inning, Carleton added to its lead with two runs off an error by Garrett Fuchs (Jr., Cold Spring, Minn.) and an RBI single by Matt Schwimmer to bring the score to 3-0.
The Knights scored two more runs in the third inning before breaking the game wide open with a four-run fifth inning. Carleton opened the fifth with a triple to center field by Noah Baker who then crossed the plate on an RBI single by Willie Freimuth. Freimuth scored on a wild pitch before Jeff Dsida hit an RBI single to right field to score Cody Bohlman. Dsida would later score when Stillerman flied out to center field to extend the Knight lead to 9-0.
Carleton scored their final run in the sixth inning when Baker scored on a Freimuth single to set the score at 10-0 where it would stay until the Ten-Run Rule was employed after the seventh inning.
Dalton Mattson (Fr., Princeton, Minn.) had a two-hit game for the Gusties with a single down the left field line in the bottom of the fourth inning and a single to center field in the bottom of the seventh. The Black and Gold were out-hit by the Knights 13-6 and were unable to convert any of their six hits into runs.
Carleton starting pitcher Nolan Baker picked up the win after going seven complete innings and allowing six hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
Gustavus starter Sam Carlson (Fr., St. James, Minn.) was credited with the loss after pitching four complete innings and allowing eight runs (six earned) on nine hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Steven Zehms (Jr., Sherburn, Minn.) pitched the final three innings of the game and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Gustavus baseball team will be back in action on Saturday, May 3 when it hosts Saint John’s University in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Gustie Baseball Field. The twin bill against the Johnnies is the last conference doubleheader the Gusties will play this season.