Baseball 4/25/02 -- Augsburg 5-3, Hamline 3-7

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE


ST. PAUL, Minn. (4/25/02) -- Nick Rathmann (Jr., Waseca, Minn.) struck out three and earned his first pitching win of the season in the first game, while Collin Nash (So., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) went 4-for-4 with two runs scored in a losing effort in the second game, as Augsburg College split a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader with Hamline University on Thursday at Midway Stadium.

Augsburg won the first game, 5-3, and lost the second 7-3 to move to 9-23 overall and 3-11 in MIAC play. Hamline is now 5-18 overall and 2-10 in MIAC play.

Rathmann, making his eighth start, picked up his first win against six losses in his pitching performance in the first game. In 5.2 innings of work, he allowed just four hits and only one of the three runs against him were earned. Travis Akre (Jr., Winona, Minn.) pitched a third of an inning in relief, and Ryan Krautkremer (Sr., Waseca, Minn.) struck out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save.

Augsburg built an early lead, as Jon Kozitza singled and scored on a fielding error in the second inning, and Kozitza singled to drive in Krautkremer and Pat Marsh (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) in the third.

But Hamline tied the game with a three-run fifth inning. A fielder's choice by Doug Amsden drove in a run, as did a groundout by Geoff Henderson and a single by Nate Dammann.

Augsburg took the lead for good in the sixth, when Kozitza singled and scored on a groundout by M.J. Iverson (Sr., New Germany, Minn/Norwood-Young America Central HS). Another run came across in the seventh, as Krautkremer doubled to drive in Marsh.

Kozitza had three of Augsburg's six hits in the game, with Krautkremer adding two more.

Nate Erickson struck out nine in a losing effort for the Pipers. Henderson went 3-for-4 to lead Hamline.

Augsburg built a 3-0 advantage early in the second game, but Hamline scored six runs in a two-inning span to take the lead back and preserve the split.

Krautkremer singled to drive in Nash in the first inning. Nash led off the third inning with a triple, and scored on a single by Akre. Krautkremer was hit y a pitch and scored as Rathmann reached base on an error.

Hamline began its comeback in the bottom of the third, when Dan Ryks doubled and scored on a groundout by Adam Friedman, annd Amsden doubled and scored on a grounder by Nick Hansen. In the fourth, Dammann singled to drive in two runs, and Friedman drove in a run on a groundout. Another run came across on a sacrifice fly by Amsden. Hamline added an insureance run in the sixth, when Bryan Julson doubled and scored on a single by Ryks.

Jeremy Nelson (Fr., Maplewood, Minn./Roseville HS) started for the Auggies and lasted 4.1 innings, with Isaac Schmidt (Fr., Luverne, Minn.) pitching in relief. Andy Gagnon started for the Pipers and struck out three in three innings of work, with Nate Cousins striking out four in four innings of work to net the save.

Both teams are scheduled to return to MIAC doubleheader play on Saturday (4/27) at 1 p.m., as Augsburg hosts St. Olaf at Midway Stadium, adn Hamline plays at Macalester.