TUCSON, Ariz. – New day, similar story. For the second straight game, the Gustavus baseball team erased a late-inning deficit for a come-from-behind victory over Middlebury. The Gusties won 13-12 after trailing 10-6 to start the sixth inning, but a six-run frame gave the Black and Gold a lead it would not relinquish for their seventh straight victory. The Gusties are now 8-3, which marks the best start to a season since 2006 (8-3), along with the longest winning streak since 2008 (nine games).
Middlebury started the scoring spree with three runs in the first two innings. The Gusties had an answer in the third with five runs on four hits and two errors. Nolan Lepel (Jr., Plato, Minn.) had the big hit of the inning with a two-run double. Isaiah Welckle (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) and Danny Carlson (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) also had RBI hits.
The Panthers got to pitcher Sam Carlson (Sr., St. James, Minn.) in the fourth with seven runs on four hits and an error, ending his day on the mound after three complete innings. Thomas Fischer (Fy., Marshall, Minn.) got his first collegiate appearance in relief and lasted three innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits.
After the seven-run fourth inning by the Panthers, the Gusties started to chip away, getting a run in the fifth, but Middlebury answered immediately with a run in the bottom half. It was the sixth inning that proved to be the difference for Gustavus as it scored six runs on five hits. Lepel, Brock Peterson (Jr., Cannon Falls, Minn.), and Brice Panning (Fy., Hamburg, Minn.) had RBIs before Matt Berkner (So., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) came up to the plate with the bases loaded and cleared them with a triple to the left-center gap. The two teams traded single runs in the seventh and the rest of the game went scoreless as the Gusties hung on for a one-run win.
Welckle and Berkner led the Gusties at the dish with four hits apiece. Welckle went 4-for-6 with three runs and an RBI, while Berkner hit 4-for-5 with a run, three RBI, and a triple.
Fischer earned the win on the mound, while Casey Lewandoski (Jr., Fairbanks, Alaska) got a three-inning save. Lewandoski didn’t give up a run with two hits and a strikeout.
Gustavus continues play at the Tucson Invite at 11 a.m. (PST) tomorrow against Williams.