TUCSON, Ariz. – The Gustavus baseball team wrapped up play at the Tucson Invite Wednesday with a pair of close losses. The Gusties lost 13-10 to Middlebury before falling 6-5 to Williams, moving their record to 8-6 overall.
Gustavus 10, Middlebury 13 (Box Score)
Gustavus trailed 8-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning where it exploded for seven runs. Brock Peterson (Jr., Cannon Falls, Minn.), Brice Panning (Fy., Hamburg, Minn.), Matt Berkner (So., Sleepy Eye, Minn.), Logan Thomas (Sr., Lake City, Minn.), and Isaiah Welckle (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) all had RBIs in the frame. The Gusties then tied the game 8-8 in the sixth as Berkner drew a bases-loaded walk.
Middlebury regained the lead in the eighth with a pair of runs on five hits. The Panthers then went up 13-8 in the ninth on three hits and an error. The Gusties responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half, but it was too little, too late as Middlebury hung on for the three-run win.
Jacob Braun (Sr., Wayzata, Minn.) suffered the loss after one and one-thirds innings of relief. He allowed five runs on eight hits with two strikeouts. Nolan Lepel (Jr., Plato, Minn.) (2-5, 2 R, RBI, BB) and Ryan Moriarty (So., Le Sueur, Minn.) (2-2, R) led the team at the plate.
Gustavus 5, Williams 6 (Box Score)
The Gusties couldn’t hold on to an early 2-0 lead, allowing six runs in four innings for their third straight loss.
After two scoreless innings, Gustavus crossed home plate twice in the third. Thomas walked and later scored on a single by Dan Carlson (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.). Josh Chatfield (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Welckle, who reached base on a walk.
Williams scored its first run in the fourth on a hit and an error, but the Gusties got it right back with a score in the fifth. Lukas Hanson (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) walked and eventually scored on single by Chatfield. The Ephs tied the game 3-3 in the fifth with a pair of runs on as many hits. They then took a 5-3 advantage in the sixth on another pair of hits. Williams added an insurance run in the seventh, which proved to be the game-winner.
Gustavus scored two runs in the eighth on a pair of hits. Thomas got a free RBI with a bases-loaded walk, while Lepel batted in a run on a fielder’s choice. But the Ephs were able to keep the Gusties off the board in the ninth to hold on for the win.
Sam Carlson (Sr., St. James, Minn.) took the loss in relief of starter Panning. Panning went five quality innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Dan Carlson (2-4, RBI, BB, 2 SB) and Berkner (2-4, R, SB) led the team at the plate.
Gustavus now returns to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and beings Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday at Carleton College. First pitch of game one is 1 p.m. in Northfield.