The Gustavus baseball team lost two games to Bethel University in Arden Hills on Wednesday afternoon. The Gusties lost game one 9-4 and then dropped game two 9-6. Coach Mike Carroll’s squad is now 9-13 overall and 3-5 in the MIAC.
In the first game, Ben Sherer got the Gusties off to a fast start as he hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. Unfortunately, the Royals countered with five runs in the bottom of the first on five hits and one error. Gustavus cut the lead to 5-3 when Ash Larsen hit a solo home run in the top of the third, however Bethel put the game out of reach by scoring three more times in the bottom of the third. Each team scored a single run in the sixth inning making the final score 9-4 in favor of the Royals. Ash Larsen led the Gusties with four hits in four at-bats. Josh Spitzack suffered the loss as he allowed eight earned runs and 12 hits while walking three and strking out five.
In game two, led 9-0 through four innings, before the Gusties exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth. The big inning included a pair of two-run home runs. One by Nate Bower and the other by Aaron Madson. Gustavus had one player reach base in both the sixth and seventh innings but could not manage to cut into the Royal lead. Ricky Sabo was the starting pitcher for Gustavus. He allowed four runs on six hits in two-and-one-third innings of work. Neil Petrash, who relieved Sabo allowed four runs and five hits in one inning of work, was credited with the loss. Kraig Olson relieved Petrash and allowed one run and one hit in one-and-two-thirds innings. Ben Eklo pitched the seventh inning for the Gusties and just allowed one hit. Nate Bower led Gustavus at the plate with with two hits in two at-bats with one home run and two RBI.
The Gusties will continue league play on Saturday when they host Augsburg for a doubleheader which begins at 1:00 pm.