Baseball 4/24/04 -- Augsburg 18-10, Carleton 0-2

GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (4/24/04) -- Darren Ginther (So., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) pitched a complete-game four-hitter, while going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI at the plate in the first game, and Jeremy Nelson (Jr., Maplewood, Minn./Roseville HS) continued his team-leading pitching season with a complete-game five-hitter in the second game, as Augsburg College swept Carleton College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Parade Stadium.

Augsburg won the first game 18-0 and the second game 10-2 to improve to 15-17 overall, 6-8 in MIAC play, marking the Auggies' second doubleheader sweep of the season, the last being a sweep of St. Lawrence (N.Y.) in nonconference action on March 19. It also marked Augsburg's first doubleheader sweep of Carleton since the 1992 season, and its fourth straight game with double-digit runs scored. Carleton drops to 2-21 overall and 1-13 in MIAC play, as its losing streak is now at 12 straight games.

The Auggies pounded out 19 hits in the first game, as every player in the lineup got at least one hit, scored at least one run and drove in at least one run. Augsburg also took advantage of five Carleton errors, as just 10 of the 18 runs charged to the three Knight pitchers in the game were earned.

Eight batters came to the plate in the first inning, as Augsburg pounded out five hits and scored four runs, with the key hit a two-run single by Joe Haehn (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS). Ten batters came to the plate in the third inning, as Augsburg scored six runs on just four hits and two errors. Haehn hit another two-run single, and Matt Johnson (Fr., Plymouth, Minn./Osseo HS) hit the first of his two doubles in the game to bring in a run. Brian Bambenek (Fr., St. Charles, Minn.) also had a run-scoring double.

Ginther hit his team-leading third home run of the season, a solo shot, in the fourth inning, and Augsburg added three runs in the fifth inning, the key hit a two-run double by Jon Kozitza (Jr., North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS). In the sixth, Augsburg capped its scoring with four runs, as nine batters came to the plate. Ginther hit a two-run single.

Ginther, Kozitza and Troy Deden (So., Northfield, Minn.) had three hits apiece for the Auggies, with Ginther and Kozitza driving in three runs apiece. Haehn drove in four runs on 2-for-5 hitting. Andy Nelson (So., Waseca, Minn.) went 2-for-3 with two runs driven in and three runs scored. Pat Knafla (Sr., Rice, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice HS) also scored three runs.

Meanwhile, Ginther was just as effective on the mound in the first game, striking out six while not walking a batter and only allowing four hits. No Carleton runner advanced past second base in the first game, as all four Knights were stranded.

Matt Topeff (Fr., Andover, Minn./Blaine HS) started the game and pitched the first two innings, with Andy Krominga (Fr., Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson HS) and Peter Watson (Fr., Lakewood, Ohio) pitching in relief. Luke Muellerleile (So., White Bear Lake, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) went 2-for-3 in the first game to lead the Knights.

Augsburg relied on the right arm of Jeremy Nelson in the second game, as he claimed his team-leading fifth win of the season with a complete-game five-hitter. He struck out three while walking three. Nelson, who pitched his fourth complete game in his eighth start of the season, leads the Auggies with a 2.31 earned-run average.

The Auggies put together nine hits and took advantage of five Carleton errors to claim the win in the second game. Augsburg jumped on the board early again, scoring four runs in the first inning and three in the second. In the first, two-run singles by Knafla and Kozitza plated the Auggie runs.

In the second, Andy Nelson scored on a wild pitch, and two more runs came across on a single by Taylor Pagel (Jr., Cannon Falls, Minn.).Augsburg scored another run in the fifth inning on a fielder's choice by Deden, and the Auggies reached double-digits again in the sixth, with a run coming across on a fielding error and another on a wild pitch.

Carleton's lone runs of the doubleheader came in the sixth inning, as Mullerleile doubled and scored on a double by Topeff. Topeff then scored on a groundout by Roddy Theobald (So., Bloomington, Ind./North HS).

Pagel led the Auggies in the second game, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Andy Nelson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and Knafla went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Augsburg has the next week off for finals and graduation, and returns to action with an MIAC doubleheader a week from Sunday (May 2) with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at St. Mary's. Carleton hosts Crown College in a single nonconference game on Wednesday (4/28) at 7 p.m., at Dundas (Minn.) Memorial Field.