TUCSON, ARIZ.—The Hamline University baseball team opened their spring trip with a pair of games against Wheaton (Ill.) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday. Zach Branson's 11-strikeout performance, and Tyler Johnson's ninth-inning sacrifice fly highlighted a 1-0 shutout victory over Wheaton in game one, before a four-run sixth inning gave Hamline the lead for good in a 9-8 decision over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in game two.
The Pipers improve to 3-4 overall following the sweep. Wheaton (Ill.) dropped to 3-7, while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps concluded the day with a 9-5 mark.
Hamline 1, Wheaton (Ill.) 0
Pipers starting pitcher Branson struck out 11 batters and allowed just four hits and one walk, but left the contest with a 0-0 score after the seventh frame. Braden Schneider continued that momentum over the final two innings in relief, as he allowed no base runners.
The Pipers provided Schneider the game's lone run in the ninth inning, where Owen Christenson singled and advanced to third base off Cullen Buck's double. This put runners on the corners for Tyler Johnson, who knocked in Christenson's pinch runner Caden Erickson off a sacrifice fly to right field to seal a 1-0 victory.
Christenson, Buck, Avery Nelson, and Braeden Bourne each notched a hit for Hamline. Wheaton's Joe Klein allowed just two hits over eight innings of work, before John McCraith suffered the one-inning loss.
Hamline 9, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 8
Three lead changes occurred over the opening five innings before Hamline's four-run sixth put them in the driver's seat for good. The Pipers pounded three RBI-triples in the sixth inning courtesy of Bourne, Buck, and Max Gerstner. The three triples, along with a sacrifice RBI bunt from Stephen Schmidt gave Hamline a 7-5 lead they wouldn't surrender. The Athenas cut their deficit to one run on two more occasions, and threatened to tie the game in the ninth inning with two outs and a runner on second base before they ended the contest with a fly out to center field.
Ryan Conn, Conor Mestemacher, Jonah Smallfield, and Schneider all saw action on the pitching mound for Hamline. Mestemacher picked up the winning decision over 3 2/3 innings of work, before Schenider converted the two-inning save. The Pipers pounded 11 hits in the contest, led by Gerstner's 3-for-5 outing that included a triple. Buck went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, while Colton Peters tallied a 2-for-5 game at the plate. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps utilized five pitchers in the contest.
Brandon Rho led the Athenas with a 4-for-5 outing at the plate.
The Pipers will face Wesleyan (Conn.) tomorrow, Sunday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m. (MT) in Tucson, Arizona.
