Baseball 5/4/02 -- Gustavus Adolphus 7-8, Augsburg 2-3

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE


ST. PAUL, Minn. (5/4/02) -- Brad Mazer (Sr., Orono, Minn.) hit two home runs and a double and drove in four runs on the afternoon, as his Gustavus Adolphus College baseball team swept host Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday at Parade Stadium.

Gustavus won the first game 7-2 and the second 8-3 to improve to 24-9 overall and 15-5 in the MIAC, as the Gusties' winning streak moved to six straight games. Gustavus clinched a berth in the four-team MIAC postseason playoffs with the victory, and will be the No. 3 seed in the upcoming playoffs. Augsburg's losing streak hit seven games, its second-longest losing stretch of the season, to fall to 9-29 overall and 3-17 in MIAC play.

Gustavus took advantage of one big inning in each game to break open close contests; a four-run fourth inning in the first, and a controversial four-run seventh inning in the second game.

The controversy arose in the top of the seventh, with one on and no outs in a game the Gusties led, at the time, 4-3. Mazer hit a drive along the right-field line that appeared to fall clearly in foul territory. But the home-plate umpire called the ball fair. In the confusion following the call, Gustavus baserunner Brandon Burmeister (Sr., Windom, Minn.) came around to score, and Mazer ended up on second base with what was ruled a double. Augsburg head coach Mark Strandemo argued the call with the umpire and was ejected from the game.

After the ejection, Gustavus poured it on, as Tom Ramy (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.) hit a sacrifice fly to drive in a run, Bryant Rogness (So., Lakeville, Minn.) hit an RBI double and Trent Larson (So., Burnsville, Minn.) singled home a run to give the Gusties an 8-3 lead.

Augsburg could not recover in the bottom of the inning, as the Auggies grounded into a double play and struck out to end the game against reliever Adam Roberts (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.) with two runners aboard.

The second game began as a pitching battle between Gustavus' Mike Fritz (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) and Augsburg's Jared Lynch (Sr., Jordan, Minn.), a senior playing in his last home contest. Fritz struck out seven, and despite allowing 11 hits, gave up just three runs in the game.

Meanwhile, Lynch was having one of the best starts of his Auggie career, striking out four and allowing eight hits while walking two. Just three of the eight runs charged to him were earned. Matt Topp (Sr., South St. Paul, Minn.) relieved him in the seventh.

Gustaus opened the game with a run in the first, as Joe Thorvig (Sr., Stacy, Minn.) brought home a run on a sacrifice fly, his second sacrifice of the afternoon. Augsburg tied the game in the bottom of the inning, as Taylor Pagel (Fr., Cannon Falls, Minn.) singled home Collin Nash (So., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS).

Gustavus scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, as Tyler Vrieze (So., Richfield, Minn.) hit an RBI single, Mazer hit a solo homer to right center and Rogness scored on a delayed double-steal attempt by Vrieze.

Augsburg scored twice in the fifth, as Jon Kozitza (So., North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) drove in Pat Marsh (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) on a single, then later scored on a wild pitch.

Pagel led all hitters, going 4-for-4 at the plate, while Marsh went 2-for-4 for the Auggies. Mazer and Rogness each went 2-for-4 for the Gusties, Rogness scoring three runs and Mazer scoring twice. Vrieze went 3-for-4.

The first game was also a close one early, as Gustavus scored single runs in the first two innings and Augsburg scored once in the first. The Gusties opened the first two innings with triples off of Auggie starter Joe Pontrelli (So., Eagan, Minn.), as Burmeister tripled and scored on a groundout by Mazer in the first, and Ash Larsen (Fr., Lakeville, Minn.) tripled and scored on a single by Rogness in the second. Augsburg scored its first run in the bottom of the first, as Pagel singled to bring home Nash.

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the fourth, Ramy hit a double to center to bring home two runs. A squeeze-bunt attempt worked, as Rogness brought home a run on the lay. Another run came across on a grounder for a fielder's choice by Larson. The Gusties scored another run in the fifth on Mazer's home run.

Augsburg cut the lead in the seventh, as Nash scored after Ryan Krautkremer (Sr., Waseca, Minn.) reached base on an error.

John Schaffler (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.), Gustavus' top pitcher with a 6-0 record and 1.70 ERA entering the game, was forced to leave with an elbow injury int he second inning. Jake Hauk (So., Shoreview, Minn.) threw the rest of the game for the Gusties, striking out five. Pontrelli lasted four innings for the Auggies, striking out one. John Golnitz (Fr., Green Bay, Wis./Preble HS) and Isaac Schmidt (Fr., Luverne, Minn.) pitched in relief.

Marsh went 2-for-4 to lead Augsburg, while the Gusties got their six hits from six different hitters. Mazer and Larsen scored two runs apiece, as did Nash for Augsburg.

Both teams completed their MIAC seasons with the doubleheader. Gustavus plays at Minnesota State-Mankato in a nonconference, nine-inning game on Monday (5/6) at 2:30 p.m., while Augsburg finishes its season with a nonconference doubleheader at Northwestern-Roseville on Thursday (5/9) at 3 p.m.