Baseball 3/31/07 -- Augsburg 6-3, Hamline 5-4 

GAME 1 BOXSCORE 
GAME 2 BOXSCORE 

MINNEAPOLIS (3/31/07) -- Catcher Pat O'Laughlin's two-out RBI single in the seventh inning of the second game gave Hamline University a 4-3 win over Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Metrodome. Augsburg won the first game of the doubleheader 6-5.

With the game tied at 3-3, second baseman Dan Kaczrowski reached on a hit by pitch. Two batters later, designated hitter James Bachmeier singled to put runners at first and second. With one out, Bill Sand flied out to center before O'Laughlin ripped a single to left to plate Kaczrowski and give the Pipers (10-9 overall, 1-1 MIAC) the victory.

Augsburg (9-10 overall, 1-1 MIAC) forced the bottom of the seventh by tying the game in the top half of the inning. Brian Banbenek (Sr., St. Charles, Minn.) hit a run-scoring single to knot the game at 3-3.

Hamline grabbed a 3-1 lead with a two-run fourth inning. Centerfielder Sam Wiener hit a one-out RBI triple and later scored on an Aaron Thompson groundout.

Augsburg would claw back with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Andy Nelson * (Sr., Waseca, Minn.) tripled and scored on a groundout in the fourth, Mark Pederson (Jr., Lexington, Minn./Centennial HS) singled and scored on a throwing error in the fifth, and Bambenek's single plated Dusty Hinz (So., Richfield, Minn.) in the seventh.

Starter Kyle Foster pitched a complete game, five-hitter to earn the victory. He struck out seven and walked three. Augsburg reliever Brian Olson (So., Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) took the loss, giving up one run in 2 2/3 innings. Sam Weber (Fr., Mounds View, Minn.) started the game for Augsburg, going four innings. He allowed three earned runs while striking out four and walking two.

O'Laughlin, Bachmeier, and third baseman Geoff Fuller each had two hits for the Pipers. Banbenek added two of Augsburg's five hits in the contest.

In the first game, the Auggies plated two runs in the top of the seventh to defeat Hamline 6-5. A one-out triple by catcher Craig Henry (Fr., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) and single by shortstop Nelson tied the game at 5-5. Nelson later scored on a sacrifice fly by Nate Jackson (Sr., Richfield, Minn.).

After Hamline scored three runs in the third on back-to-back doubles by Wiener and Thompson and a suicide squeeze by Kaczrowski, Augsburg scored a single run in the fourth, on an RBI double by Jackson, and briefly took the lead with three runs in the fifth. A Jeff Stomberg (Jr., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) triple led off the inning, and he came across on a single by Ricky Schreier * (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS). Bambenek scored on a fielder's choice by Nelson, and a Mike Zaun (Jr., Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) groundout plated Schreier.

The Pipers battled back with two runs in the sixth on a two-run double by O'Laughlin. O'Laughlin finished 2-for-3 in the game with a double and two RBI.

Nelson went 2-for-4 for the Auggies, as did Henry.

Hamline starter Josh Roiger took the loss, going all seven innings. He struck out three and walked two. Jason Kickhafer (So., Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) allowed four earned runs over six innings to earn the win. Tyler Kraft * (Sr., Savage, Minn./Burnsville, Minn.) pitched a scorless seventh for his first save of the season.

The Pipers will host Macalester Wednesday (4/4) afternoon at Midway Stadium at 2:30 p.m. Augsburg hosts St. Thomas on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at Parade Stadium.