WINONA, MINN. – The Gustavus Adolphus baseball team came away with a doubleheader split against Saint Mary’s University on Saturday at Max Molock Field, as it earned a 3-1 win in game one, but fell 2-0 in game two. With the split, Gustavus moves to 3-5 in MIAC play and 7-14 overall, while Saint Mary’s moves to 4-4 in the MIAC and 19-6 overall.
GAME ONE: Gustavus 3, Saint Mary’s 1
Senior pitcher Grant Soderberg (Eden Prarie, Minn.) continued his stretch of dominant pitching by throwing all seven innings for Gustavus. Soderberg earned his second win of the season by allowing seven hits, one earned run and striking out a season-high nine batters. Saint Mary’s lone run in the fifth ended Soderberg’s streak of 21 and one-third innings in which he had not allowed an earned run.
After Sam Warner (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.) scored to give Gustavus a 1-0 lead after the second inning, neither team scored until the fifth, when the Cardinals were able to break the Soderberg barrier and tie the game at 1-1.
Gustavus was then able to work some magic in the game’s final inning. After Warner lined out to begin the inning, Isaiah Welckle (So., Minneapolis, Minn.) got the Gusties started when he was hit by a pitch and proceeded to steal second base during the next at-bat in which Chris Kelly (Sr., Savage, Minn.) earned a walk. Max Fidler (Sr., Lino Lakes, Minn.) then lined out to put Gustavus at two outs, but Cody Christensen (Jr., Luverne, Minn.) kept the visitors alive by earning the Gusties’ third free-pass of the inning. Sophomore Josh Chatfield (Apple Valley, Minn.) then doubled to bring home Welckle and Kelly and give Gustavus the 3-1 victory.
Chatfield led the Gustie batters with two hits and two RBI, while Garrett Fuchs (Sr., Cold Spring, Minn.) also picked up two hits to raise his season average to .362.
GAME TWO: Saint Mary’s 2, Gustavus 0
In game two, Gustavus managed seven hits, but could not bring anyone around to score and was shutout by a 2-0 final. Michael Strelow (So., Braham, Minn.) pitched five and a third for the Gusties, giving up just four hits and two runs, but suffered his third loss of the season to bring his record to 2-3.
Ben Johnson went the distance on the mound for Saint Mary’s, as he pitched all nine innings, struck out three and didn’t allow a run.
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Gustavus will be back on the field on Monday when its hosts Martin Luther College in a non-conference doubleheader at the Gustie Baseball Field beginning at 2:30 p.m.