Even by the standards of this very unusual spring, taking 81 days to finish a baseball game seems a little absurd. But such is the case for Hamline and Northwestern. Way back on February 21, the teams started the baseball season with a doubleheader at the Metrodome. The Pipers won the first game, 9-1, for new head coach Jim Weyandt. But the second game ran afoul of the curfew limits that get imposed for twinbills at the Metrodome that time of season. 

Hamline trailed, 3-2, after six innings when the game had to be stopped. Weyandt and Northwestern coach Dave Hieb made several different plans to try to finish what had been started. Unsurprisingly, the weather did them in a couple of times. The Pipers were forced to change dates to fit in conference games.

But now the forces have come together. On what is supposed to be abeautiful afternoon for ball, Hamline will take a 21-11 record out to Roseville, finish this game and then play a nine-inning affair.

In the process, they are hoping it is not one and done when things start up at 3:30 p.m.

When play resumes roughly 1769 1/2 hours after it was stopped, Jordan Rubbelke will be at the plate leading off the inning. Weyandt only hopes he can keep his hot streak. Rubbelke, who was 13-for-27 last week, already has two hits in this game, too. 

It is the start of what Weyandt and his staff hopes is a very busy week. 

Hamline will play at St. Thomas tomorrow in a key MIAC doubleheader that will being at 2:30 p.m. They face Concordia on Wednesday, also at 2;30 p.m. in the season-ending doubleheader that has been moved to the Metrodome. HU is currrently 8-8 in MIAC play, good for a tie for fourth place with Bethel. Depending on a final format (and that will be determined whether the league finishes its full slate of games or not), either four or six teams will make the conference tournament field that will play May 10-12 in Minnetonka. The winner of the event gets a berth in the field for the NCAA D-III tournament. HU won the tournament in 2011.