SAINT PETER, Minn. – In a game that saw six lead changes and 30 total runs, the Gustavus baseball team came out on top 18-12 Thursday in a non-conference game against Crown College. The Gusties win their fourth straight, improving to 7-8 overall, while the Polars drop to 7-8.
Crown took the first lead in the opening frame with two runs on a hit, hit by pitch, balk, and a sac fly. The Gusties answered in the bottom half as
Bryce Novak (Sr., Cleveland) reached on an error,
Jack Hanson (Sr., Minnetonka) singled, and
Gavin Baker (Sr., Lakeville) hit a three-run homer, his fifth of the season.
The Polars took the lead back in the second with a three-run homer of their own for a 5-3 advantage, but the Gusties were quick to respond and put up seven runs in the bottom half on four hits and an error. The Gusties sent 11 batters to the plate during the inning, grabbing a 10-5 lead.
Crown started to chip at the difference with a pair of runs in the third and then regained the lead in the fifth with five runs on five hits and took advantage of a wild pitch and two passed balls. Gustavus took back the lead for good in the bottom half with three runs on two hits and an error.
Leading 13-12 in the eighth, the Gusties got an important insurance run as
Chris Knowles (Jr., New Ulm) led off with a walk and later scored on a single from
Logan Bjorkman (Sr., Lindstrom). The Gusties then loaded the bases for Hanson, who seized the moment with an emphatic grand slam to put the game out of reach.
Tanner Hopkins (So., Edina) earned the win tossing 2.1 innings of relief, allowing five runs on five hits with three strikeouts.
Sam Baker (So., Lakeville) pitched three strong innings of scoreless relief with one hit and three strikeouts. Hanson led at the plate, batting 3-for-5 with three runs, five RBI, a grand slam, and a walk.
Gustavus returns to conference play tomorrow with a home doubleheader against Concordia starting at 1 p.m.
