ROCHESTER, Minn. — If the Gusties have proven anything in their second weekend of play, it’s that when they win, they win big. The Gusties picked up their second win of the season with Sunday’s game against UW-Eau Claire, defeating the Blugolds 11-5 in the victory. Later in the afternoon, the Gusties fell to UW-La Crosse by a tight 3-1 decision.
Gustavus 11, UW-Eau Claire 5
Sunday’s game against UW-Eau Claire marked the second meeting already between the two teams, with the Blugolds taking game one by a score of 6-4. The Gusties got revenge in impressive fashion Sunday, scoring 11 runs, including four in inning five, for their second win of the season. The Gusties have scored more 11 runs or more in both of their wins this season, as they defeated North Central by a score of 12-0 the day before.
The Gusties started off strong thanks to the efforts of Carly Nelson (Fy., Lake Crystal), who belted a two-run homer in the Gusties fourth at-bat of the game, scoring fellow first-year Caitlin Olafsson (Woodbury) for a 2-0 lead at the top of the first. UW-Eau Claire responded with a run of their own in the first, but the Gusties built their lead back up to two, scoring Olivia Guggenberger (Fy., Rosemount) off a single from Lauren Lambert (Fy., Woodbury).
The Blugolds met the Gusties at 3-3 in the bottom of the third, getting a run off a Gustie error and a homer to center off pitcher Piper Otto (Jr., Brooklyn Park). The Gusties regained the lead at 4-3, scoring Guggenberger once more. A big fifth inning for the Gusties gave them the lead they needed to keep the Blugolds in the dust, earning four runs on three hits, including a two-run triple to center from Kate Murray (Sr., Chanhassen).
Eau Claire added a run in the fifth and the sixth, but it wouldn’t be enough to catch the Gusties, who added three more in the top of the seventh. Olafsson and Nelson both finished 2-for-3 against the Blugolds, combining for three runs and three RBIs. Murray went 2-for-2 with two RBIs of her triple and a run in the seventh.
Otto, who threw a five-inning no-hitter the day before, started the Gusties off on the mound, allowing three runs on seven hits in the first three innings. Marah Hulke (Fy., Courtland), in four innings of relief, allowed just two hits off the 16 batters she saw, getting four strikeouts in the process.
Gustavus 1, UW-La Crosse 3
The Gusties didn’t have the same luck against their second WIAC opponent of the day, falling to UW-La Crosse by a score of 3-1.
The Gusties scored the first run of the game — and their only run — in the first. Kayla Herda (So., Farmington) tripled to center and Olafsson picked up another RBI on the weekend, sending Herda home with a single out to left. That would be all that the Gusties could muster up, though, as three Eagles pitchers held the Gusties to just four hits for the remainder of the game.
Maizie Anderson (Fy., Rosemount) pitched a complete game, allowing just seven hits on 29 at-bats. La Crosse scored their three runs in the fourth, taking an advantage of a Gustie error for runs one and two, and scoring their final thanks to back-to-back singles.
The Gusties are now off until March 17, when they head to Bethany Lutheran for a Friday night double-header.