Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The sunny spring weather apparently agreed with Mitch Benson Saturday. The senior center fielder went 5-for-6 with three doubles and three RBI as the Piper baseball team split a pair of 8-7 decisions with St. Olaf in Northfield Saturday. The divisive verdicts left HU with an 11-17 overall record, 4-8 in MIAC action. The Pipers are two games behind sixth place Concordia for the final postseason berth. 

It was a hitter's day at Mark Almli Field. In the opener, the Pipers seemed in total control with a 7-0 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Benson's 2 RBI single keyed a four run fourth inning that helped HU into a big lead. The OIes erupted against three pitchers to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and force an extra inning. In the eighth, Benson doubled with one out. He moved up a base on a Cullen Buck single and scored on Jeremy Szura's sacrifice fly (his third RBI of the game). Zach Smith (4-3) worked a scoreless eighth and HU had the dramatic win.

In Game 2, Jake Dujmovic had a two RBI double and Benson and Buck added RBI hits in a five run third inning that propelled to a 5-2 lead. The Oles, however, tied it in the bottom of the inning with three runs. Elliott Engen scored one run and drove him another for a 7-5 lead only to see STO re-tie the game in the fifth inning. It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh when the Oles pushed across the winning tally. 

HU has little time to reflect on this wild day. They will play their first games this season at CHS Field on Sunday, April 29 against Augsburg. The doubleheader begins at 1:00 p.m.