Baseball 5/7/07 -- Augsburg 6-1, Bethel 3-9 (2nd game 6 inn.-RAIN)

GAME 1 BOXSCORE 
GAME 2 BOXSCORE


MINNEAPOLIS (5/7/07) -- Sam Weber (Fr., Mounds View, Minn.) struck out six in a five-inning pitching performance in the first game for Augsburg College, while Kirby Carr (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) drove in four runs on a 3-for-4 effort with a home run and double in the second game for Bethel University, as the teams split a season-ending Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader on Monday at the University of Minnesota's Siebert Field.

Augsburg (18-19 overall, 10-10 MIAC) won the first game 6-3, while Bethel (18-22 overall, 8-12 MIAC) won the second game 9-1 in a contest ended after six innings due to rain. It was the final games of the season for both teams.

In the first game, Weber struck out six while walking one and allowing just four hits in five innings. Jason Kickhafer (So., Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) then set down all six batters he faced in order in two innings of relief to earn the save.

Augsburg took a 3-0 lead after three innings. In the first inning, Ricky Schreier * (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) led off with a double, then scored on a double-steal later in the frame, and Nate Jackson (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) drove home Craig Henry (Fr., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) on a single. In the third inning, a balk brought home Andy Nelson * (Sr., Waseca, Minn.), who had reached base on an error.

But Bethel tied the game in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, a Mike Gaustad (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) single drove home Tyler Kramer (Jr., Maplewood, Minn./Concordia Academy HS), and in the fifth, a two-run single by Brandon Carr (Jr., Fergus Falls, Minn.) plated Garret Kramer (Sr., Maplewood, Minn./Concordia Academy HS) and Ted Erickson (Sr., Blaine, Minn.).

Augsburg took the lead back in the fifth with two unearned runs. Henry doubled and Jackson walked, and both scored as a result of a Bethel throwing error. An insurance run came across in the third, as Schreier scored on a fielder's choice by Henry.

John Buteyn (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) pitched a complete-game effort for Bethel, striking out two while walking two and allowing seven Augsburg hits.

The second game was a close one until the late innings. Tied at 1-1 after four innings, the Royals scored twice in the fifth, and sent 10 batters to the plate in scoring six runs in the sixth. The game was halted due to rain after six innings were complete, and called a half-hour later.

Kirby Carr opened the scoring for the Royals with a solo home run to center field to lead off the fourth inning, his 12th homer of the season. After Augsburg's Henry matched the feat with a solo homer to center to lead off the bottom of the frame, a triple by Jared Bangs (Jr., Fergus Falls, Minn.), an RBI single by Brandon Carr and an RBI double by Kirby Carr put the Royals ahead to stay.

In the sixth, 10 batters came to the plate against three Augsburg relievers. A groundout brought home a run, followed by a bases-loaded walk. Two-run singles by Kirby Carr and Dana Hegman (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) completed the scoring.

Isaac Hamilton (Jr., Chaska, Minn./Southwest Christian HS) scored the pitching win for the Royals with five innings of three-hit baseball, with Travis Adams (So., Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka HS) pitching a scoreless sixth. Jon-Eric Urseth (So., Golden Valley, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) took the loss for Augsburg, striking out one in 4.1 innings of work. Chris Purcell (Fr., Northfield, Minn.), Kickhafer and Tyler Kraft * (Sr., Savage, Minn./Burnsville HS) pitched in relief for the Auggies.

In addition to Kirby Carr's 3-for-4 performance, Brandon Carr, Bangs and Clint Nelson (Jr., Monticello, Minn.) had two hits apiece for the Royals.