SAINT PETER, Minn. – Nearly two weeks removed from its last game, the Gustavus baseball team is back in action Saturday against Bethany Lutheran College at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato, Minn. The non-conference doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. The Gusties enter the twinbill 5-3 overall while the Vikings are 2-7. Both teams played all of their previous games in Tucson, Ariz.
THE SERIES
Despite being just 15 miles apart, Saturday’s doubleheader marks just the fifth and sixth all-time meetings between Gustavus and Bethany with the series tied 2-2. Last season the two teams split a doubleheader in Saint Peter on March 29. The Gusties won game one 2-0 followed by an 8-2 win for the Vikings in the nightcap.
SCOUTING THE GUSTIES
Gustavus was last in action March 8, sweeping a doubleheader over Wabash to close out the Tucson Invitational. Shortstop Cole Pengilly (So., Le Sueur, Minn.) leads the team at the plate with 14 hits in 31 at-bats (.452). He also leads the team with nine runs and 16 total bases. Sam Archer (Sr., Zimmerman, Minn.) has knocked in a team-leading 10 runs and has four extra base hits. Adam Stockwell (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) has kicked off the season as the top starting pitcher with a 1-0 record and 3.27 ERA in 11 innings of work. He also leads the team with 14 strikeouts. Damon Rademacher (So., Princeton, Minn.) is the leading reliever with 8.1 innings in six appearances and a 0.00 ERA. Rademacher has collected one win, three saves, and has struck out eight of 28 batters faced.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Bethany wrapped up its trip to Tucson with a pair of losses to Marian (Wis.) on March 15. Producing runs has been sporadic for the Vikings with three games of at least 14 runs and four games with four or less, including one shutout. Ross Beumer leads the offense with 16 hits in 32 at-bats (.500) with 11 runs, seven doubles, one triple, and 12 RBI. Brady Schuster is also batting .500 (14-28) and has scored five runs. The pitching staff has struggled with a collective 13.94 ERA after 62 innings. Dallas McBroom has the most innings pitched at 12 with an 8.25 ERA. Four relief pitchers boast 0.00 ERAs, but none of them have more than 2.1 innings.