ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team suffered a pair of tough losses to Macalester on Friday. After leading 4-1 in game one, the Gusties gave up eight unanswered runs in a 9-4 loss, followed by an 11-inning 10-6 loss to fall to 11-15 overall and 2-8 in the MIAC.
Gustavus 4, Macalester 9 | BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
Trailing 1-0 in the third inning, Gustavus took the lead in the third with four runs. With the bases loaded and two outs, Sam Warner (Sr., Chanhassen, Minn.) hit a bases-clearing double that tailed into the left field corner. John Lundquist (So., Rochester, Minn.) then ripped a sharp double to the left-center gap to score Warner. That would be all the offense for the Gusties in game one as the Scots tied the game in the sixth and exploded for five runs in the seventh for the victory.
Jacob Volness (Sr., Cokato, Minn.) started on the mound and took a no decision after five and one-third innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Casey Lewandoski (So., Fairbanks, Alaska) suffered the loss after one and two-thirds innings of relief. He allowed five runs on six hits with a strikeout and a walk.
Isaiah Welckle (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) (2-3, HP), Warner (2-2, R, 3 RBI, 2B, HP), and Cody Christensen (Sr., Luverne, Minn.) (2-3, R) led the Gusties at the plate with two hits apiece.
Gustavus 6, Macalester 10 (11 inn.) | BOX SCORE
The Gusties battled from behind in game two, scoring three runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth to send the game to extras, but a four-run 11th inning by the Scots proved to be too deep of a hole to dig out of resulting in a sweep. Errors proved to be costly for the Gusties as all 10 Macalester runs were unearned.
Jacob Braun (Jr., Wayzata, Minn.) took the loss in relief. He pitched three and two-thirds innings allowing four runs (zero earned) on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Connor Kern (Jr., Hutchinson, Minn.) started and went seven frames. Kern gave up six runs (zero earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Sam Carlson (Jr., St. James, Minn.) recorded the last out and gave up one hit with one strikeout.
Neil Engler (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) paced the Gusties at the plate, batting 3-for-3 with two runs off the bench. John DeMarais (Jr., Winona, Minn.) hit a solo home run in the third inning, but left the game after the one at-bat.
Gustavus travels to Northfield, Minn. tomorrow to take on St. Olaf. The MIAC doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.