COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Gustavus baseball team Thursday couldn’t get the bats going in a 3-1 loss to Bethel in the first round of the MIAC playoffs. The Gusties, now 26-13 overall, play an elimination game against the loser of Concordia and Saint John’s at noon Friday.
After a scoreless first inning, Bethel plated two runs in the second after three singles and a walk. The Royals then took a 3-0 lead in the sixth with a solo home run.
The Gusties got their first and only run in the eighth as Patrick Timmer (Sr., Lakeville) doubled to the left field corner, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a single by Luke Johnson (Sr., Paynesville).
Mitch Casperson (Jr., Le Sueur) suffered the loss after tossing six innings. He allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Jackson Thielen (Fy., Eden Prairie) pitched three innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
Chris Knowles (Jr., New Ulm) led at the plate, batting 2-for-4 with a double.