BOXSCORE 1 | BOXSCORE 2 GAME 1 BOXSCORE | GAME 2 BOXSCORE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. -- Tim Gerding (SR, Robbinsdale, Minn./Cooper HS) went 4-for-7 at the plate with a double, home run and two RBI, leading Augsburg College in a doubleheader split with Bethel University in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball action on Sunday at Bethel's Hargis Park.

In a meeting of two teams in contention for spots in the four-team MIAC postseason playoffs, Augsburg (22-11 overall, 8-6 MIAC) won the first game 9-7, but Bethel (16-4 overall, 7-5 MIAC) won the second game 3-2. Entering the final two weeks of conference play, five teams have seven or eight wins in league play behind unbeaten MIAC leader St. Thomas (24-4 overall, 12-0 MIAC).

Augsburg used three home runs to stage a comeback in the final four innings of the first game. A two-run homer by Adam Carl (SO, Eagan, Minn.) tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning. After Bethel took the lead on a solo homer by Jesse Nickols in the bottom of the fourth, Tom Petersen (SR, Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) hit a two-run homer to give the Auggies the lead in the fifth.

In the sixth inning, Augsburg's Gerding hit a two-run homer and Ryan Sward (SO, Eagan, Minn.) added a two-run double. Brent Kolbow (JR, Forest Lake, Minn.) plated a run on a single in the seventh to give the Auggies a 9-3 lead. Bethel rallied back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, including a two-run homer by Travis Piepho.

Pitching in relief of starter Eren Cur (JR, Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS), Jeff Boresz (SR, Chardon, Ohio/Mentor HS) picked up the pitching win for the Auggies, striking out one in 2.1 innings of work. Tanner Oakes (FY, Jordan, Minn.) scored the save with a strikeout in relief in the seventh.

Petersen, Gerding, Trent Anderson (SR, Eagan, Minn.) and Gordon Kappers (FY, Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North HS) had two hits each for the Auggies in the first game, with Petersen and Kolbow scoring two runs each. For Bethel, Matt Rowley went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Piepho and Nickols had two hits each.

In the second game, both teams scored two runs each in the third inning, and Bethel took the lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth. After an 8-0 record in his first 10 pitching appearances, Augsburg pitcher Ryan Mestnik (FY, Prior Lake, Minn.) took the loss, with Dan Tombers (FY, Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS) pitching in relief.

Matt Rowley struck out six in 5.2 innings of work to score the pitching win for Bethel, with Buddy Flaherty claiming the save.

Augsburg scored both its runs in the third inning, as Kolbow and Gerding scored when Sward reached on a fielding error. Bethel tied the game at 2-2 on a two-run double by Jay Slick, and took the lead on a run-scoring double by Matt Rowley in the fifth inning.

Augsburg returns to MIAC play on Tuesday (4/24) at 2:30 p.m., with a doubleheader at Hamline.