SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team is set for its final road test of the regular season, traveling to Saint Mary’s for a 2:30 p.m. Wednesday doubleheader. The Gusties enter the games 21-9 overall and 12-4 in the MIAC, sitting atop the league standings, while the Cardinals are 2.5 games behind Gustavus at 11-7 in the MIAC (19-15 overall).
THE SERIES
Wednesday’s games mark the 156th and 157th meetings between Gustavus and Saint Mary’s on the diamond with the Cardinals leading the series 92-63. Saint Mary’s swept last season’s regular season series 3-2 and 15-6 in Collegeville, Minn., but the Gusties got revenge in the first round of the MIAC playoffs with a 5-2 win.
SCOUTING THE GUSTIES
Gustavus has won its last nine MIAC games, the longest streak since 2008, and is in control of its own destiny in vying for its first MIAC title since 1980. Only Hamline (1962) has a longer drought without a conference title. Cole Pengilly continues to lead the offense with a .394 batting average (39-99), including 23 runs and a .515 slugging percentage. Matt Berkner is swinging a hat bat as of last, improving his average to .361 (35-97) and is five hits shy of his 100th career hit. Brice Panning is the third Gustie over .300 with a .320 average (33-103) and leads the team with 18 walks. Adam Stockwell and Charlie Hutchinson are the projected starters for the Saint Mary’s twin bill. Stockwell is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA after 39.1 innings. He will make his seventh start. Hutchinson is 2-3 with a 2.30 ERA after 31.1 innings. He will make his team-leading eighth start. Damon Rademacher has made a team-high 14 relief appearances with a 2.61 ERA, 3-0 record, and four saves.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Saint Mary’s has won four of its last six games, most recently splitting a doubleheader with Bethel on Sunday. Matthew Piechowski leads the offense with a .425 average (48-113), including 29 runs, four triples, and the team’s only two home runs. Justin Weinberg is hitting .351 (39-111), Andy Tepp is at .324 (34-105), and Will Matthews is at .311 (33-106). Eli Morison is the likely game one starter. Morison, a lefty, owns a 3-3 record and 5.59 ERA after eight starts and 38.2 innings. Depending on the outcome of game one, the Cardinals could come back with either James Green or Ryan Wolfe, who are Nos. 1 and 2 in the rotation and made starts in Sunday’s games against Bethel. Green, last year’s MIAC Rookie of the Year, is 7-0 with a 1.38 ERA after 52.1 innings, while Wolfe is 3-3 with a 3.68 ERA after 51.1 innings. Tyler Stilp has made a team-high 15 relief appearances with a 1-0 record, 8.16 ERA, and three saves in 14.1 innings.