ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep Friday against Concordia, dropping the first game 1-0 before a 9-5 loss in the nightcap. In a day that featured a pair of losses, the bright spot during the contests happened in the eighth inning of game two as Danny Carlson (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) became the program’s all-time assists leader, surpassing Mike DesLauriers (2006-09) with 416 career assists.
The losses drop the Gusties to 19-13 overall and 7-7 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Cobbers move to 21-13 overall and 10-6 in the league.
Gustavus 0, Concordia 1 (Box Score) | Photo Gallery
Despite Connor Kern’s (Sr., Hutchinson, Minn.) two-hit complete game performance, the Gusties were unable to generate much offense, collecting just two hits of their own in the one-run loss.
Gustavus had its biggest threat of the game in the first inning by loading the bases after a single and two walks, but a groundout ended the threat. Concordia scored the only run of the game in the second after a pair of doubles.
The Gusties threatened in the bottom of the seventh after Brice Panning (Fy., Hamburg, Minn.) singled and advanced to second on a pinch-hit sacrifice bunt by Ryan Moriarty (So., Le Sueur, Minn.), but consecutive fly-outs ended the game.
Kern went the distance in the loss, allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Carlson (1-3) and Panning (1-3) had the only two hits for the Gusties.
Gustavus 5, Concordia 9 (Box Score)
The Gusties held a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning, but the Cobbers cut the deficit to one in the fifth and took the lead for good in the sixth with a four-run frame to secure the sweep.
Trailing 1-0 in the third, Gustavus took a 3-1 advantage on four hits and three Cobber errors. Isaiah Welckle (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) singled and scored on a single by Josh Chatfield (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.). Chatfield and Nolan Lepel (Jr., Plato, Minn.), who reached on a single, then scored on consecutive errors.
Concordia cut into the lead with a run in the fifth after a walk, sacrifice, wild pitch, and a single. The Cobbers then took a 6-3 lead in the sixth with four runs on three hits and two errors. The Gusties got one back in the seventh as Carlson and Chatfield hit back-to-back singles, followed by a sacrifice fly by Panning. But the visitors answered with three runs on a pair of hits and as many errors in the eighth. The Gusties added one in the bottom half as John Lundquist (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) hit an RBI single, but a base running blunder led to a tag-out at home plate for the third out, ending any possible threat by the home team.
Sam Carlson (Sr., St. James, Minn.) suffered the loss after five and one-third innings. He allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Chatfield led the Gusties at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI.
With a flip from short to second for a force out to end the top of the eighth inning, Danny Carlson recorded his 416th career assist, surpassing Mike DesLauriers (2006-09) for the program’s all-time assists record. DesLauries played in 150 career games, while it took Carlson 138 games to set the new mark.
Gustavus hits to road tomorrow for a 1 p.m. MIAC doubleheader at Bethel (26-6, 11-3 MIAC).