Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 It was well worth the wait -- at least for the Hamline batters -- to play their first games of the season at CHS Field. The Pipers brought out the heavy lumber, scoring 20 runs on 26 hits in a 9-8 11-inning, 11-2 sweep of Augsburg Sunday afternoon. The big day at the plate upped Hamline's MIAC standard to 6-8 (13-17 overall), placing them just one game behind Concordia (7-7) for sixth place -- the final postseason spot. Each team has six games to play.

The top six hitters in coach Jim Weyandt's batting order went a combined 24-for-49 against Auggie pitching in the two games. 

History repeated itself in Game 1. As happened in the first game Saturday at St. Olaf, the Pipers broke fact and led 5-0 after two innings, stretching the margin to 8-2 after four innings. But the Auggies rallied for a run in the fifth frame and five in the sixth to force extra innings. In the 11th, Jeremy Szura was hit by a pitch and stole second base. After an out and an intentional walk, Cyle Hartwig ended the marathon with a single. Jake Dujmovic and Mitch Benson led the 14-hit assault on Auggie pitching. Each went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI. Brandon Rushmeyer, who threw 5.2 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief, earned the win.

Game 2 was less dramatic. HU led, 3-2, after three innings but then erupted for eight tallies in the next three frames. Nolan Schoonveld was 3-for-4 with three runs scored; Dujmovic had two hits and three RBI while Szura went 3-for-4 and Nick Kukurich had two hits and two RBI. Dujmovic was the benefactor of this largesse, hurling the first four innings to gain the victory.

HU returns to the field Wednesday, May 2 with a pair of games at Gustavus Adolphus (4-8 MIAC, 12-15 overall). The first game begins at 2:30 p.m.