The Gustavus baseball team extended its winning streak to six games with a doubleheader sweep over Bethel on Monday afternoon in St. Peter. In the first game, Gustavus jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on for a 5-3 win, and in the second game, the Gusties built a 6-1 lead and then held on for a 6-5 victory. Pat Siering had a big day at the plate going 5-for-6 with 2 RBI, while David Wold limited the Royals to five hits in seven innings and picked up the win on the mound in game one. The Gusties are now 14-8 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC.
Game one started off as a pitcher’s duel as the Gusties Dave Wold and the Royals Isaac Hamilton allowed only one hit between them in the first three innings and that was a two-out single by Gustavus’ Pat Siering in the bottom of the first inning. The Gustavus got on the board first scoring twice in the fourth inning on doubles by Siering, Shea Roehrkasse, and Robby Wiens. Bethel’s Dana Hegman broke up Dave Wold’s perfect game with a single to start the top of the fifth inning, but the Royals would not be able to get Hegman across the plate. Gustavus would score two more times in the fifth inning as Tyler Kaus singled to drive home Pat Ruff who had reached on an error and then Siering continued his big day with a double that scored Kaus to make the score 4-0 in favor of the Gusties. Bethel broke up the shutout in the sixth inning when Tim Oesterlin singled to drive in Bob Tokar from second base. Gustavus added an insurance run in the sixth inning when Pat Ruff singled and later scored on a sacrific fly Tyler Kaus. Bethel battled back with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Wold shut the door inducing the final two batters to ground out which allowed the Gusties to claim their fifth straight win by the score of 5-3.
Senior pitcher Dave Wold turned in a stellar performance on the mound for Gustavus as he scattered five hits, while striking out three and walking one. Pat Siering was 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, and a single, while also driving in a run and scoring a run.
In the second game, Bethel took a 1-0 lead when Tyler Kramer homered in the top of the first inning. Gustavus tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second. The Gusties then extended their lead to 6-1 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the fifth. Gustavus and pitcher Cody Sukalski were cruising along with a 6-1 lead in the sixth inning when the Royals scored four runs on a grand slam by Bob Tokar which trimmed the Gustie lead to 6-5. Gustavus failed to score in the bottom of the sixth, but Charlie Cicalello shut Bethel down in the top of the seventh preserving the Gustie victory and a sweep in the series. Cody Sukalski earned the win on the mound as he pitched 5 2/3 innings allowing 10 hits and five earned runs. Charlie Cicalello earned the save by shutting the Royals down in the seventh inning. Shea Roehrkasse had a big game at the plate as he went 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Three other players picked up two hits including Tyler Kaus, Pat Siering, and Andrew Woitas.
Gustavus improves to 14-8 overall and 6-0 in MIAC play, while Bethel falls to 9-11 overall and 1-4 in the MIAC.