TUCSON, Ariz. – The Gustavus baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader versus Howard Payne University Friday during the season opener at the Tucson Invite, winning game one 3-2 on a walk-off before dropping game two 12-3.
Down 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, a two-run double from first-year catcher Ethan Mocchi (Champlin, Minn.) scored John Lundquist (Sr., Rochester, Minn.) and Brice Panning (So., Hamburg, Minn.) for the walk-off victory.
Adam Stockwell (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) started game one and turned in 4.2 innings with two unearned runs while disallowing any Howard Payne base hits. Sam Archer (Jr., Zimmerman, Minn.) finished the game on the mound, earning the win with 2.1 scoreless innings.
Mocchi led the Gustie offense with all three runs batted in, going 2-3 at the plate with two doubles in his collegiate debut. Lundquist also tallied two hits along with two runs scored.
A five-run third inning for the Yellowjackets broke open the game, while the Black and Gold offense was just limited to three runs in the second inning.
The Gusties jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Lundquist was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, followed by Brock Peterson (Sr., Cannon Falls, Minn.) reaching on an error. Mocchi, Grant Brockhouse (Jr., Urbandale, Iowa), and Archer then batted in the Gustavus runs with singles.
Howard Payne answered right away in the third inning, scoring five runs off of five hits. Mitch Nordin started on the mound and surrendered the five runs in the second, suffering the loss.
Tomorrow, the Gusties will take on Carthage College for another non-conference doubleheader. Game one is schedule for a 10 a.m. start.