The Gustavus Adolphus College baseball team fell to 7-4 on the season following an 8-7 loss to Minnesota State University Tuesday afternoon in Mankato. Mike DesLauriers led the Gusties with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate, but MSU’s Zach Danelson provided the game’s big hit–a solo home run in the sixth inning–to give the Mavericks their final lead.
After a scoreless opening inning for both teams, the Gusties took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Pat Siering (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored on an Andrew Woitas (Fr., Sleepy Eye, Minn./St. Mary’s) RBI double. The Mavericks answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. After a hit batsman and a pair of walks by Gustavus starting pitcher Kraig Olson (Jr., Blooming Prairie, Minn.) loaded the bases, Eric Austvold rapped a single to right field. A misplay by Gustie outfielder Tyler Kaus (Jr., St. James, Minn.) allowed all three runners to cross the plate with Austvold ending up at third base. Brandon Knoll (So., Princeton, Minn.) came on in relief for the Gusties and picked up the final out to get the visitors out of the inning.
Minnesota State added another run in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead as Kosuke Hattori scored on a groundout by Adam Sudbeck. Hattori and Nick Gonzalez opened the inning with a pair of bunt singles and each stole second base to get into scoring position. Gonzalez would be stranded at third as Knoll induced a groundout from Jay Bresnahan to end the threat.
Gustavus got one run back in the top of the fourth inning and added five more in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead at the game’s mid-point. Mike DesLauriers (So., Minnetonka, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s/Benilde-St. Margaret’s) opened the fifth inning with a single up the middle of Maverick reliever Patrick Lenton. Lenton then hit Kaus with a pitch before Tony Konicek (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo) brought DesLauriers home with a RBI double. Two batters later, Siering knocked in both Kaus and Konicek with a double to right center. Spencer Campion (Fr., Plymouth, Minn.) capped off the inning with a two-run home run.
The Mavericks took advantage of a pair of Gustie errors in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 7-5. Zach Danelson scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Hoover. MSU added three more runs in the sixth inning as Dan Woodall knocked in Bresnahan with a RBI double and then came around to a score on a double play to tie the game at 7-7. Danelson, the next batter in the inning, gave Minnesota State the lead for good with a solo home run.
Tory Herman (Fr., Shoreview, Minn.) limited the Mavericks to just one hit in their final two at bats, while Patrick Criss and Nick Fellman held the Gusties without a hit in the final three innings.
Jake Reuvers, the fifth of MSU’s seven pitchers on the day, was credited with the win and now stands 2-1 for the season. Fellman threw a flawless ninth to record his seventh save of the year.
Knoll took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out three in 4 1/3 innings.
DesLauriers led the Gusties at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a run scored. Shea Roehrkasse (Jr., Jackson, Wyo./Jackson Hole) and Campion each went 2-for-4, while Siering was 1-for-3 with a a walk, a run scored, and two RBI. Danelson, Bresnahan, and Scott Kemp each knocked out a pair of hits to lead the Mavericks. Each team finished with 10 hits.
The win brings MSU’s record to 19-4 and extended their winning streak to 11 games. Gustavus falls to 7-4 on the season. MSU travels to Des Moines, Iowa, Friday to play Grand View College, while the Gusties make the trek to St. Paul Saturday to face St. Thomas in a doubleheader to open the MIAC slate.