MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team Wednesday dropped its season opening doubleheader against Mayville State by 6-5 and 11-3 scores to start the season 0-2. The Gusties battled back from a five-run deficit in game one to send it to extras, but were unable to hold off the Comets in the eighth frame. And in game two, Mayville State used a balanced attack of power hitting and efficient pitching for the convincing win.
Gustavus 5, Mayville State 6 (8 inn.)
Mayville State wasted little time in game one, taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Comets tagged Gustie starter Connor Kern (Sr., Hutchinson, Minn.) for four hits, including a double and a home run, while the defense committed two errors. The Comets added another run in the third on a solo home run.
The Gusties broke the shutout in the fifth inning with three runs on three hits. Cameron Hufendick (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) was hit by a pitch the start the frame, Lukas Hanson (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) singled, and Isaiah Welckle (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) reached on a fielder’s choice as Hufendick was forced out at third base. Two batters later, Josh Chatfield (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) singled to center to score Hanson. John Lundquist (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) followed with a two-run double to the right-center gap for the three-run inning.
Gustavus then tied the game 5-5 in the sixth with a pair of runs on three hits. Matt Berkner (So., Sleepy Eye, Minn.) and Brice Panning (Fy., Hamburg, Minn.) started with consecutive singles, followed by a two-run triple off the bat of Hufendick. But the Gusties were unable to take the lead as the Comets got out of the jam with no extra harm.
After a scoreless seventh and the Gusties unable to take the lead in the eighth, Mayville State took advantage of a leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position. An ensuing single to left field proved to be the walk-off hit as the Comets claimed a 6-5 victory.
Welckle led the Gusties at the plate, going 3-for-5. Chatfield (2-3, R, RBI) and Lundquist (2-4, 2 RBI) also had a multi-hit game each. Jacob Braun (Sr., Wayzata, Minn.) suffered the loss in one-third inning of relief. Kern pitched the first three innings, allowing five runs on five hits, while Casey Lewandoski (Jr., Fairbanks, Alaska) pitched four innings, not allowing a run with just one hit.
Mayville State erupted for six runs on four hits and an error in the first inning and never looked back. The Comets added one in the second, two in the third, and two in the fifth for their 11-run total. The Mayville State bats also collected 11 hits with five doubles, two triples, and a home run.
The Gusties broke the shutout in the third inning with a pair of runs on one hit and an error. Hanson walked and Welckle reached on an error, and both scored on a double off the bat of Chatfield. The Black and Gold added their third run of the game in the fourth as Brock Peterson (Jr., Cannon Falls, Minn.) singled and later scored on a throwing error.
Welckle (1-2) and Peterson (1-3, R) had the only two hits in the game for the Gusties. Adam Stockwell (So., Apple Valley, Minn.) suffered the loss after two innings of work. He allowed eight runs (six earned) on six hits. Mitchell Nordin (Fy., Mahtomedi, Minn.) tossed three innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits, while Sam Archer (So., Zimmerman, Minn.) threw the final two frames. He didn’t give up a run or a hit.
Gustavus hosts Martin Luther at 2:30 p.m. Thursday for a doubleheader at the Gustie Baseball Field. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday but is now pushed back to accommodate for the predicted forecast.