ST. PAUL, Minn. – Riding the emotional high of playing in its first postseason game in a decade, the No. 6 seed Gustavus baseball team Thursday upset No. 3 seed Saint Mary’s 5-2 in the opening round of the MIAC playoffs, advancing to the double elimination portion of the bracket. Another solid pitching performance along with timely hits and key defensive stops resulted in the victory.
Adam Stockwell (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) kept the Cardinal batters guessing all day as he lasted six and two-thirds innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. The two Cardinal runs came in the fifth after a sac fly and a Gustie throwing error.
After two scoreless frames, Gustavus struck with a pair of runs in the third. With two outs and the bases loaded, Cole Pengilly (Fy., Le Sueur, Minn.) singled home two runs with a hit back up the middle. The Gusties took a 3-0 lead in the fifth as Pengilly knocked in another run before the Cardinals answered with a pair in the bottom half to make it a one-run game.
The Gusties created more separation in the seventh, again off the bat of Pengilly. The Le Sueur native singled through the right side with the bases full to score Sam Archer (Jr., Zimmerman, Minn.). Brock Peterson (Sr., Cannon Falls, Minn.) ensued with a single to center to score Ryan Moriarty (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.), but a double play ended the rally.
Stockwell’s day on the mound ended with two outs in the seventh and the bases juiced, but top reliever Casey Lewandoski (Sr., Fairbanks, Alaska) came in and got the next batter to foul out. The Cardinals filled the bases once again in the eighth, but Lewandoski enticed a groundout the end the threat. And in thrilling fashion to end the game, the Gusties turned a 4-6-3 double play to secure their first playoff victory in 10 years.
Pengilly led the offense, going 4-for-5 with four RBI. Archer was also productive at the plate, hitting 3-for-4 with two runs and a double. Lewandoski picked up his fifth save of the season after two and one-thirds innings. He surrendered just two hits with a strikeout and two walks.
Gustavus (20-16), who has won eight of its last nine games, advances to face the No. 1 seed and regular season champion Saint John’s at 3 p.m. Friday. The two teams split the regular season series on April 11 in St. Peter.
