Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 It took a while --23 batters, to be precise -- for Hamline's baseball team to find their hitting shoes. Once they did, they never stopped swinging. The Pipers made it seven wins in their last eight games and evened their MIAC mark at 6-6 with a 5-4, 14-2 sweep of Macalester at CHS Field Wednesday afternoon. Evan Cordell's eighth inning single lifted HU to a unusual win in the first game. In the finale, four of the first Pipers who came to the plate whacked out hits. HU kept on hitting, finishing with seven doubles among 16 hits in the game. 

The day didn't start well. the Scots scored a run in the second inning and three more in the fourth for a 4-0 lead in that first game. A play that didn't even register on the scoresheet led to HU tying matters in the bottom with a four spot that was accomplished without the benefit of a hit. With one out, Dan Moro walked and went to second when Jacob Picht was safe on an error. After Cordell flied out, Chris Zeller hit a grounder to Mac third baseman Nick Sia. Sia tried to tag Moro running to third but the junior ducked away and was safe to load the bases. Andy Sammon walked to force in a run. Tyler Summers then lifted a fly to center field that was dropped. It was a 3-2 pitch and the runners were going full speed. By the time the Scots recovered, everybody had scored the game was tied at 4. 

The Pipers finally got a hit in the sixth when Picht beat out a bunt. But the game remained tied until Matt Connell (who would go on to have a memorable second game) tripled to left center. Moro was walked intentionally. Picht fanned but Cordell singled to left center and the Pipers had their second straight last lick win. Nicholas Roesller, who pitched 4.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief, earned the win to improve to 3-0 on the season.

The second game had considerable less drama. Everybody in the lineup had at least one hit with seven Pipers also recording RBIs. Connell was on base all five times he batted with a pair of doubles, a pair of singles and a walk. He, Moro and Joe Setrum scored three times. Moro and Cordell drove in three runs. The Pipers had a pair of five run innings. In addition to the hit parade, Hamline had six stolen bases (three by Moro) and received seven walks. 

Zach Smith (2-3), the third Piper pitcher in the game, gave up just one run on five hits in 4.2 innings of relief work. The Pipers, who improved to 17-12 overall, moved up to fifth place in the MIAC standings with that 6-6 standard. St. Mary's (5-3) is directly ahead of them for fourth place -- the final playoff position. HU is off until Saturday when they entertain Augsburg at CHS Field in a non-conference, 9-inning game at 3:30 p.m. They resume MIAC action next week at Carleton (third place, 6-2) on Tuesday, April 21 and Bethel (8-2, tied for first place) on Saturday, April 25.