MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team claimed its third consecutive MIAC sweep Sunday at Parade Stadium, defeating Augsburg 4-1 and 5-2. The Gusties (18-15, 10-8 MIAC) are in control of their playoff hopes as they need only one win or a loss by Concordia to clinch the sixth and final spot in the league postseason tournament – something they haven’t done since 2008.
After two scoreless innings, the Gusties put up a pair of runs in the third frame. Carter Clemensen (Fy., Cologne, Minn.) and Nolan Lepel (Sr., Plato, Minn.) hit back-to-back RBI doubles for a 2-0 lead. The Auggies scored their lone run of the game in the fourth after a trio of singles. Gustavus then answered with two insurance runs in the fifth as Ryan Moriarty (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.) hit an RBI double and two batters later, Lepel knocked in his second run of the game.
Adam Stockwell (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) went the distance on the mound, allowing one earned run on seven hits with six strikeouts and zero walks. Matt Berkner (Jr., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) led the team at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run.
A five-run fourth inning proved to be the difference in game two. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Brice Panning (So., Hamburg, Minn.) led to the first two runs. Brock Peterson (Sr., Cannon Falls, Minn.) then hit a sacrifice fly to score Panning. Four batters later, Moriarty singled home another run and the fifth score of the frame came on an RBI single off the bat of Clemensen.
The Auggies answered in the bottom half with a pair of runs on three hits, but that’s where the score would remain.
Charlie Hutchinson (Fy., Maple Grove, Minn.) started on the mound and lasted three and two-thirds innings. He allowed two runs on six hits with three Ks and no walks. Casey Lewandoski (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) earned the win in three and one-third innings of relief. He did not give up a run with three hits, six strikeouts, and two walks.
Moriarty (2-3, RBI, HBP), Clemensen (2-4, RBI), and Cole Pengilly (Fy., Le Sueur, Minn.) (2-4, R) led the team at the dish.
Gustavus has its final regular season series Monday at St. Thomas. First pitch of game one is 2:30 p.m.