TUCSON, Ariz. – The Gustavus baseball team Wednesday night dropped a 6-4 decision to Wabash at the Tucson Invitational, moving to 2-3 overall. The Gusties were able to erase a three-run deficit to tie the game in the fifth, but Wabash answered with three more runs to secure the win.
The Little Giants scored three runs in the first two innings on as many hits, eventually knocking Gustavus starting pitcher Jack Garrison (Fy., Chanhassen, Minn.) out of the game.
The Gusties scored their first run in the fourth as Matt Berkner (Sr., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) singled to plate Sam Archer (Sr., Zimmerman, Minn.) who singled earlier in the inning. The Black and Gold then tied the game in the fifth as Berker drove in Cole Pengilly (So., Le Sueur, Minn.) and Carter Clemensen (So., Cologne, Minn.).
Wabash quickly answered in the bottom half with a run on three hits and then took a 6-3 lead in the sixth on a two-run homer.
Gustavus got one run back in the seventh as Berkner collected his fourth RBI of the game, singling home Pengilly, but that would be the last run of the game.
Berkner batter 3-for-4 with four RBI and a hit-by-pitch. Pengilly also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two runs, a double, and a walk.
Weston Lombard (So., Stillwater, Minn.) pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out three in the loss. Brice Panning (Jr., Hamburg, Minn.) and Damon Rademacher (So., Princeton, Minn.) each tossed a scoreless inning.
The Gusties are back in action 10 a.m. Thursday against Carthage.