MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Hamline University baseball team (2-0) earned a season-opening sweep over Crown College (2-7) at U.S. Bank Stadium on Tuesday night. The Pipers compiled 15 hits between the games, winning the first 3-2 and the second 7-2.
 
Junior Cullen Buck had an impressive season debut, going a blazing 5-6 (.833) at the plate with three runs, two walks, and two RBIs. Sophomore Logan Tollefson and senior Colton Peters also had multiple-hit outings for the Pipers, with three hits apiece.
 
GAME 1: HAMLINE 3, CROWN 2
In game one, Hamline tallied seven hits on their way to a 3-2 win over the Storm. Buck led the offense, going 3-3 with a double, a walk, a run, an RBI, and a stolen base. Peters also had multiple hits in the game, going 2-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
 
Crown was the first to score, using a single and a triple to score a run in the top of the first inning to take a quick 1-0 lead. The Pipers had a chance to answers with Buck reaching second in the bottom of the inning, but he was left on, leaving the score 1-0 in favor of the Storm.
 
HU left one runner on in both the second and third innings and would have the bases loaded in the fourth, but were still held scoreless until the fifth. In the fifth, Buck singled and stole second to get the rally going, which allowed him to score on a single up the middle from senior Zack Langton. Langton then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, eventually scoring on a single from Peters. This put Hamline up 2-1.
 
The Storm retaliated in the following inning, as Seth Betts reached on a bunt single, stole second, used a wild pitch to get to third, and scored on a sacrifice fly, tying the game up at two apiece. Crown tried to score another runner in the inning, but Tollefson threw him out at the plate from left field to keep the game tied.
 
Buck came up clutch for the Pipers in the bottom of the sixth, driving in first year Braeden Bourne who had walked and stole second earlier in the inning. Bourne would end up being the winning run, but Crown did not give up, loading the bases in the top of the seventh before junior Will Tzavaras struck out the final batter to seal the win.
 
Tzavaras earned the win on the mound, pitching the final 1.2 innings, giving up no runs on three hits while striking out three. Sophomore Zach Branson pitched the first five innings, giving up only one run on five hits with five strike outs. Junior Taylor Just pitched for 0.1 innings in between Branson and Tzavaras, giving up a run on one hit and a walk.
 
GAME 2: HAMLINE 7, CROWN 2
In game two, it was Hamline who would score first, as Buck singled, advanced to second on a walk from first year Mac Enlow. He then stole third and scored when the catcher threw it into the outfield.  
 
After holding Crown scoreless, despite having bases loaded, the Pipers went on to score four more runs in the top of the second. Bourne tripled to score both first year Tyler Johnson and Tollefson, and Buck singled to score Bourne. Enlow drove in the final run of the inning with a single to center field.
 
The Storm answered with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning, making it 5-2 after two complete.
 
The Pipers tacked on another run in the third, with Peters (who singled earlier in the inning) scoring on a single from Tollefson.
 
Crown retired Hamline 1-2-3 in the fourth and the fifth innings, but HU threatened to score in the sixth inning and did get one across in the seventh when sophomore Avery Liebren stole second and third which allowed him to score on a double from Tollefson.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Crown threatened a comeback, getting their leadoff runner on with a double to deep right center, but the Pipers held tough, getting the next three batters out to secure the sweep.
 
First year Xavier Bembnister got the start on the mound for HU, going the first two innings, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out two in his debut as a Piper. Sophomore Braden Schneider took over from there, pitching the next 3.1 innings, giving up no runs on three hits to earn the win. First year Elijah Erickson pitched the final 1.2 innings, giving up just one hit and striking out three.
 
The Pipers are back in action this weekend, heading to Buena Vista for a Saturday doubleheader. The first game is set for 1:00 p.m.