ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday afternoon at Gustie Baseball Field, splitting with the No. 25/27-ranked Saint John’s University, headlined by a 2-1 walk-off win in game two.
After dropping game one 5-0, the Black and Gold bounced back with a 2-1 victory to salvage the series split, coming away on the good end of a pitcher’s duel.
Saint John’s 5, Gustavus 0 (Game One)
Despite out-hitting the Johnnies 6-4 in the first game, the visitors capitalized on a four-run fifth inning to put the game out of reach.
Jake Dickmeyer tossed a complete game shutout for the Johnnies, tallying six strikeouts and allowing zero bases on balls. Saint John’s scored the eventual game-winning run in the fourth inning, scoring unearned on a ground out after getting into scoring position off of a Gustie throwing error.
Gustavus starting pitcher Charlie Hutchinson (Fy., Maple Grove, Minn.) made his fourth start of the season on the mound and allowed just two Johnnie hits in 4.1 innings.
John Lundquist (Sr., Rochester, Minn.) relieved Hutchinson after he loaded the bases in the fifth inning. However, Lundquist also struggled to find the strike zone and allowed a run on a wild pitch while walking three batters. The Johnnies tallied four runs off of two hits to gain a 5-0 lead.
Mitch Nordin (So., Mahtomedi, Minn.) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, but the Gustie bats were unable to generate much offense.
Ryan Moriarty (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.) led Gustavus at the plate with two hits, while Hutchison took the loss on the mound, his first of the season.
Gustavus 2, Saint John’s 1 (Game Two)
Johnnie starting pitcher Danny Kuhn stymied the Black and Gold offense up until the eighth inning in which Matt Berkner (Jr., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) tied the game at 1-1 with a solo homer and then Nathan Lindberg’s (Fy., Bloomington, Minn.) heroics in the ninth gave the home team the walk-off win.
Kuhn tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing three Gustie hits until surrendering the home run in the eighth. Berkner’s homer stood as his first of the season and second career.
Sam Archer (Jr., Zimmerman, Minn.) started his second game of the season on the mound for Gustavus and allowed the sole SJU run in the third inning. Damon Rademacher (Fy., Princeton, Minn.) then relieved Archer in the fifth and threw four solid innings, allowing two hits with four K’s.
Casey Lewandoski (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) came in to pitch the ninth inning, striking out two and eventually earning the win as the Gusties scored the game-winner in the bottom half.
Nolan Lepel (Jr., Plato, Minn.) led off the ninth inning with a single, his second of the game, and advanced to second from a Brice Panning (So., Hamburg, Minn.) sacrifice bunt. Lindberg’s liner to the gap then allowed Lepel to slide into home safely for the win.
Next Up
The Gusties (9-8, 1-1 MIAC) continue conference action pending weather and field conditions on Saturday in St. Paul, Minn. at the University of St. Thomas. Game one is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.