ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team busted out the bats with 27 total hits Tuesday in a MIAC doubleheader against Augsburg. The Gusties lost game one 8-2, but came back to win game two 9-7, moving to 9-11 overall and 2-4 in the MIAC, while the Auggies move to 14-12 overall and 4-4 in the league.
Gustavus 2, Augsburg 8 | BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
The Gusties couldn’t hold on to an early lead, surrendering eight unanswered runs in the six-run loss. Jacob Volness (Sr., Cokato, Minn.) went six innings, but suffered the loss. Volness allowed three earned runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and zero walks. Sam Carlson (Jr., St. James, Minn.) tossed the seventh inning and gave up three earned runs on three hits and a walk. Josh Chatfield (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) and Brock Peterson (So., Cannon Falls, Minn.) led the Gusties offensively, both batting 2-for-3.
After two scoreless innings, the Gusties tacked on a run in the third after a leadoff single by Cody Christensen (Sr., Luverne, Minn.). Christensen later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chatfield. The second Gustavus run was scored in the fourth as John Lundquist (So., Rochester, Minn.) reached on an error, advanced on a Peterson single, went to third on a sacrifice, and scored on another sacrifice.
The Auggies responded with two runs in the fifth on two hits and took advantage of two errors. Augsburg then took a 5-2 advantage in the sixth on four hits and a sacrifice. The final three runs came in the seventh on three hits and a walk.
Gustavus 9, Augsburg 7 | BOX SCORE
The Gusties connected for a season-high 18 hits in game two and played error-free defense for the third time this season en route to a tightly-contested 9-7 victory.
Isaiah Welckle (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) and Chatfield both had a big game at the plate. Welckle hit 4-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, and three doubles, while Chatfield batted 4-for-4 with a run, two RBI, and two doubles.
Connor Kern (Jr., Hutchinson, Minn.) started on the mound and lasted six innings in a no decision. Kern allowed seven earned runs on nine hits with three stikeouts and one walk. Casey Lewandoski (So., Fairbanks, Alaska) came in relief and finished off the final three frames to earn his first win of the season. Lewandoski didn’t allow a run with just two hits and three strikeouts.
Welckle and Dan Carlson (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) got things going in the first inning with back-to-back hits. Welckle scored on a sacrifice fly by Chatfield, and Carlson scored on a single by Peterson.
Augsburg answered with a pair of runs in the second on two doubles and a single, but the Gusties regained a 4-2 lead in the bottom half. Robert D’Amato (Sr., Lonsdale, Minn.) and John DeMarais (Jr., Winona, Minn.) led off with consecutive hits and both scored on consecutive groundouts.
The Auggies once again had an answer with a two-run home run in the third to tie the game. But as the story of the game went back and forth, the Gusties posted three runs in the fourth to take back a 7-4 lead. Four singles and a walk resulted in the three-run advantage. But yet again, the Auggies battled back with a trio of runs on a walk, single, and home run in the fifth to tie the game.
After a scoreless sixth, the Gusties rallied for a pair of runs in the seventh, which proved enough for the win. DeMarais walked and scored on a double off the bat of Welckle, who later scored on a double by Chatfield.
Gustavus next travels to Saint John’s on Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.