The Gustavus baseball team recorded its fourth consecutive doubleheader split with Buena Vista University on Sunday afternoon in St. Peter, Minn. The Gusties lost game one 6-3 before winning game two 6-5 in eight innings. The Gusties rallied back from two runs down in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5 on a two out two-RBI double by Chad Eul. Kyle Rains led off the eighth inning with a base hit, reached second base on a wild pitch, and then scored on an RBI base hit by Drew Block to win the game.
In game one, Buena Vista took an early 1-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Brad Blum led off the game with a double and was later knocked in by clean-up hitter Mike Hoffman. The Gusties answered in the bottom of the inning when Andrew Woitas scored on an error by the first basemen on a ground ball hit by Tory Herman. Andrew Woitas was 1-for-3 with one run, as Herman was 1-for-4 with one run and one RBI in the game.
Buena Vista’s starting pitcher Ryan Wuebker rolled after the first inning, retiring six Gustavus batters in order. He was relieved after three innings of work, in which he gave up no runs and one hit while striking out five batters. Tyler Lefeber came in to pitch for Buena Vista in the fourth inning. He gave up two runs on two hits in three innings of work. The Gusties scored two runs on one hit in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 4-3. Herman drove in Andrew Woitas with an RBI double and Laureano drove in Herman on ground ball hit to the shortstop in the inning.
The Beavers got two runs on two hits in the top of the seventh inning to extend their lead to 6-3. The Gusties threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, getting three consecutive hits and loading the bases with one out. Closer Brandon Pietrzyk buckled down and got the next two Gusties to fly out to end the game, securing his fifth save of the season. Adam Bren (0-2) got the loss for Gustavus, giving up four runs (3 earned) on seven hits. Wuebker got the win for Buena Vista, improving to 6-2 on the season. The Beavers left 12 runners stranded in the game, as the Gusties left eight on base.
Buena Vista got on the board first in game two as well, scoring one run on three hits in the first inning. Gustavus responded in the bottom half of the inning with one run on one hit to tie that game at 1-1. The Beavers got two more runs in the top of the second inning when a Rains throwing error scored Neil Eddie and Andy Compton to make the score 3-1.
Tory Herman threw the first three innings, giving up three runs (1 earned) on seven hits. Bryce Bintzler came in to relieve Herman, throwing three innings and giving up two runs on two hits. Herman and Sukalski led off the fourth inning with back-to-back doubles, as the Gusties scored two runs on four hits to cut the lead to 4-3 in favor of Buena Vista. Tim Miller (3-2) shut the Beavers down in the seventh and eighth innings, facing eight batters and giving up one hit for the win. Buena Vista’s Reggie Kock suffered the loss for Buena Vista, pitching one inning and giving up three runs on four hits.
Kyle Rains was the top Gustavus hitter in the game, going 3-for-4 at the plate and scoring the game-winning run. Sukalski was 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI, and Drew Block was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Gustavus was 11-for-31 as a team, while Buena Vista was 10-for-33. Gustavus is now 11-13 overall on the season, while Buena Vista moves to 16-9 overall.
The Gustavus baseball team will host Macalester on Wednesday, April 21st, in a doubleheader beginning at 2:30pm in St. Peter, Minn.