GREATER PHOENIX INVITATIONAL

CHANDLER/MESA, Ariz. -- The Augsburg College baseball team is competing at the Greater Phoenix (Ariz.) Invitational this week, with 10 games scheduled for fields in Chandler and Mesa.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18:
The Greater Phoenix Invitational did not start on a good note for the Auggies, as a doubleheader against Williams College (Mass.) was rained out. No rescheduling date/time was set yet.

MONDAY, MARCH 19:
GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
The Augsburg baseball team claimed a doubleheader sweep of Concordia University-Wisconsin at Gene Autry Park in Mesa, winning 12-4 and 2-0.

Augsburg received solid pitching performances in both games. Eren Cur (JR, Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) struck out three while not walking a batter in five innings in the first-game start, with Jarron Farah (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village HS) striking out three while not walking a batter in two innings of hitless, scoreless relief. In the second game, starter Ryan Mestnik (FY, Prior Lake, Minn.) pitched a gem, striking out four while not walking a batter and allowing just four hits in recording his second shutout in his first four collegiate starts.

Leadoff hitter Brent Kolbow (JR, Forest Lake, Minn.) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Lou LaChapelle (JR, Eagan, Minn.) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Tom Petersen (SR, Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) had two hits, including a double, driving in two runs, and Tim Gerding (SR, Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) went 2-for-3 and scored twice. Adam Carl (SO, Eagan, Minn.) had a double and Bobby Monsour (SR, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Roseville HS) drove in two runs.

In the second game, the Auggies had just three hits, but its two runs in the first inning were enough to claim the win, improving to 7-3 on the season. Kolbow singled, stole second base and stole third base, then came home on a throwing error on the steal of third. Petersen then drove in Adam Seaman (SR, Richfield, Minn.) on a sacrifice fly.

Kolbow, Petersen and Taylor McMurray (FY, Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) had base hits for the Auggies in the second game.

TUESDAY, MARCH 20:
GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
The Augsburg baseball team (8-4 overall) scored a split of a doubleheader with Wesleyan University (Conn., 4-6 overall), winning the first game 6-3 and losing the second game 7-1 at Gene Autry Park in Mesa.

Pitcher Tanner Oakes (FY, Jordan, Minn.) was dominant for the Auggies in the first game, striking out two while not walking a batter and allowing six hits in six innings of work. Oakes is now 2-0 with a 3.00 earned-run average and a team-best 13 strikeouts against just one walk in 18.0 innings of work. Tyler Flakne (FY, Fridley, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out one, to claim his first collegiate save.

A five-run third inning, in which Augsburg sent 11 batters to the plate, proved to be the difference in the game. Tom Petersen (SR, Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) had an RBI double, while Adam Seaman (SR, Richfield, Minn.) and Bobby Monsour (SR, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Roseville HS) had run-scoring singles.

Seaman went 3-for-4 for the Auggies, scoring a run and driving in another. Lou LaChapelle (JR, Eagan, Minn.) scored twice, and Alec Johnson (SR, Marine on St. Croix, Minn./Forest Lake HS) had two hits.

In the second game, Wesleyan jumped on the board early, scoring five runs in the first inning, then adding two more in the fourth. Augsburg's lone run came in the fifth inning, when LaChapelle singled and scored on an RBI single by Adam Carl (SO, Eagan, Minn.).

Adam Langer (SR, Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS), Dan Tombers (FY, Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) and Jeff Boresz (SR, Chardon, Ohio/Mentor HS) pitched for the Auggies in the second game.

THURSDAY, MARCH 22:
GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
The Augsburg baseball team continued its solid week at the Greater Phoenix Invitational, scoring a doubleheader sweep of Midland University (Neb., 5-19 overall) on Thursday, winning 8-5 and 4-1 to improve to 10-4 overall.

Both games featured Auggie pitchers making their first collegiate starts, with John Gallice (FY, St. Louis Park, Minn.) scoring the win in the first game and Tyler Flakne (FY, Fridley, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) scoring the second-game win. Dan Tombers (FY, Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) scored his first collegiate save in the second game.

In the first game, the Auggies built an early lead, scoring twice in the second inning, while scoring three runs in both the third and fourth innings.

Ryan Sward (SO, Eagan, Minn.) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Brent Kolbow (JR, Forest Lake, Minn.) went 2-for-5 with two RBIs to lead the Auggies in the first game. Trent Anderson (SR, Eagan, Minn.) had a three-run double in the first game.

Lou LaChapelle (JR, Eagan, Minn.) went 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and a stolen base in the second game, while Tom Petersen (SR, Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22:
GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
The Augsburg baseball team closed its trip to Arizona on a high note with a doubleheader sweep of Thomas College (Maine), winning 9-3 and 12-1. The Auggies went 7-1 in their eight games in the Phoenix area during the spring break week, improving to 12-4 overall.