ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team swept Martin Luther College on Monday in its home opener, winning by convincing scores of 12-2 and 9-2 to improve to 7-7 overall.
Gustavus 12, Martin Luther 2 (5 inn.) | BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
After allowing a run on two hits in the first inning, Gustavus starting pitcher Kyle Pinke (Jr., St. James, Minn.) settled down and gave up just one more run and one hit the rest of the way in a complete game effort. Pinke allowed two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts and zero walks to improve to 2-1.
Kyle Pinke got the victory in game one with a complete game effort. (photos by AJ Dahm, SPX Sports)
The Gusties connected for 14 hits in the five-inning game, led by John Lundquist (So., Rochester, Minn.) who hit 3-for-3 with two runs, a double, triple, four RBI, and a walk.
Gustavus tallied three runs in the first inning to take a lead it would not let go of. Josh Chatfield (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) was hit by a pitch and later scored on an error. Lundquist then doubled to score Dan Carlson (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.), who singled. Joe Melles (Sr., Hopkins, Minn.) responded with a single to score Lundquist.
After a scoreless second frame, the Gusties tacked on four runs in the third. Sam Warner (Sr., Chanhassen, Minn.), Brock Peterson (So., Cannon Falls, Minn.), Logan Thomas (Jr., Lake City, Minn.), and Chatfield all singled in the inning.
Another Gustie run crossed home in the fourth as Carlson scored on a Lundquist single.
The 10-run rule was enforced in the fifth as the Gusties plated four more runs. Chatfield and Lundquist had the big hits in the inning with RBI triples. Cody Christensen (Sr., Luverne, Minn.) and Carlson also singled in the inning.
Danny Carlson makes a throw to first base.
Gustavus 9, Martin Luther 2 | BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
Game two started out similar to the first as the Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Gusties answered with three runs in the bottom half and held on to the lead for the remainder of the game, while holding Martin Luther to one hit.
Sam Archer (Fy., Zimmerman, Minn.) started on the hill and recorded his first collegiate win after five innings of work. Archer gave up one run on one hit, three strikeouts, and two walks. Jacob Braun (Jr., Wayzata, Minn.) and Casey Lewandoski (So., Fairbanks, Alaska) each pitched an inning without giving up a hit.
Carlson (2-4, 2 R), Warner (2-3, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B), Isaiah Welckle (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) (2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B), Robert D’Amato (Sr., Lonsdale, Minn.) (2-3, R, 2B), and Matt Berkner (Fy., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) (2-4, R, 2 2B) paced the Gusties at the plate.
To start the first inning, Chatfield walked followed by consecutive singles by Welckle and Carlson to load the bases. Warner then came to the plate and belted a bases-clearing double.
Berkner led off the second frame with a double and scored on another double by Welckle.
Two more runs were plated in the third. Warner led off with a double, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a groundout. D’Amato then singled, went first-to-third on a Berkner double, and scored on a wild pitch.
Gustavus took a 9-1 advantage in the fourth on three hits and two Knight errors. Carlson, Lundquist, and D’Amato each registered a hit.
Gustavus begins MIAC play Wednesday at the Gustie Baseball Field against Saint Mary’s. First pitch of the doubleheader is 2:30 p.m.