SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team won its seventh consecutive game Wednesday with a twin bill sweep at Macalester. The Gusties won 5-1 in game one followed by a decisive 11-1 decision in game two, improving to 11-1 overall and 6-1 in the MIAC.
Gustavus 5, Macalester 1 | BOX SCORE
After two scoreless innings to start the game, Macalester struck first for a 1-0 lead in the third. The Scots hit a leadoff single followed by an error and RBI double, but that turned out to be their lone run of the game.
The Gusties tied the game in the fourth. Nick Azar (Jr., Edina) led off with a single through the left side and advanced to second on an infield single by Dalton Thelen (Jr., Cold Spring). Kathan Decker (So., Apple Valley) then blooped a single to short center to score Azar.
Gustavus gained a 2-1 lead in the sixth as Chris Knowles (Fy., New Ulm) led off with a double down the left field line, advanced to third on a sac bunt by Thelen, and scored on a Drake Siens (Fy., Rogers) infield single to second. Three more insurance runs were tacked on in the seventh. Azar singled to the right side to score Cole Pengilly (Sr., Le Sueur), who reached on a double. Thelen knocked home Ethan Mocchi (Sr., Champlin) with a single to the left field fence. And Decker batted home Azar with a bases-loaded groundout for the final run of the game.
Weston Lombard (Sr., Stillwater) started on the mound for the Gusties and pitched five innings with one run allowed on four hits and six strikeouts to earn his third win of the season. Jack Garrison (Jr., Chanhassen) earned his first save of the season, tossing the final two innings, not allowing a run with one hit and two strikeouts.
Knowles led the team at the plate, batting 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run, and an RBI.
Gustavus 11, Macalester 1 (7 inn.) | BOX SCORE
The Gusties rolled their momentum into game two and racked up five runs in the first inning on five hits. Mocchi, Azar, and Decker provided an RBI each before Siens singled home two runs for the early 5-0 advantage.
In the second inning, Bryce Novak (So., Cleveland) led off with a double to left and scored on an ensuing triple to right by Pengilly. Pengilly then scored on a wild pitch and the Gusties led 7-0 after two. The visitors tacked on two more in the third on a couple hits and a couple errors with a two-out rally. Siens singled to left, Jake Christenson (Sr., Cannon Falls) doubled to left-center, and both scored on consecutive errors.
The Gusties made it an 11-0 game in the fifth on three hits and another Scots error. Siens led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a double by Novak. Logan Bjorkman (So., Lindstrom) later flied out to left for a sacrifice, scoring Christenson.
After throwing five scoreless innings, starting pitcher Charlie Hutchinson (Sr., Maple Grove) gave up the only run of the game in the sixth after a hit-by-pitch, single, fielder’s choice, and a wild pitch. Hutchinson finished the game with six innings, five hits, and eight strikeouts to improve to 2-0. Ben Brauer (Sr., Minneapolis) threw the seventh frame and gave up one hit with a strikeout to close the game.
The Gusties collected 15 hits, led by Pengilly (3-5, 2 R, RBI, 3B) and Siens (3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI).
Gustavus travels to Carleton on Saturday for a doubleheader before wrapping up the three-game series at home Sunday.