MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.—The Hamline University baseball team embarked on a non-conference bout against Crown (DH) during the late hours of Tuesday night, and early morning hours of Wednesday at US Bank Stadium. The Pipers came up empty in a 3-0 (7 innings) decision in game one, and ran to their first victory of the season in game two with a 4-2 (7 innings) score.
 
The Pipers exit the doubleheader with a 1-4 record, while Crown begins their season 1-1.
 
Crown 3, Hamline 0 (Game One)
 
Hamline starting pitcher Zach Branson was effective as he allowed four hits and struck out four batters over 4 2/3 innings of work He didn't get the offensive support needed as the Pipers mustered just two hits in the contest, as Max Gerstner and Colton Peters each had a 1-for-3 outing at the plate. The Storm notched their first run in the fourth inning, and added two more in the fifth that proved to be enough to secure a 3-0 victory.
 
Braden Schneider came in relief over the final 1 1/3 innings for the Pipers, and allowed three hits and no runs.
 
Eric Newman allowed just two hits, struck out seven batters, and surrendered no walks over 5 1/3 innings of pitching work for Crown. Mason Brock came in for the final 1 2/3 innings to secure the pitching save for Crown. Seth Betts led the Storm at the plate with a 2-for-3 outing.
 
Hamline 4, Crown 2 (Game Two)
 
Hamline set the tone with a third-inning run behind Tyler Johnson's two-out infield single that scored Max Gerstner, who reached on a single, that made the score 1-0. The Storm responded with a fourth-inning run before Gerstner gave the Pipers the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth with a single that sent home Colton Peters (hit by pitch) to make things 2-1.
 
The Pipers widened their lead to 4-1 with one run in the fifth and sixth innings. The fifth inning saw Owen Christenson and Colton Peters walk. This put Christenson in scoring position for Colin Schuetz, who reached on an infield error that pushed Hamline's lead to 3-1. The sixth inning saw Gerstner notch an RBI-triple that scored Stephen Schmidt, who singled, which made the score 4-1. Crown came through with one seventh-inning run to narrow their deficit to 4-2, where things stayed final.
 
Gerstner went 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple for Hamline, and also picked up the pitching save over the final 2/3 inning of the game. Ryan Conn, Will Tzavaras, Conor Mestemacher, (winning decision) and Gertsner combined to give up five hits, two runs, and strikeout seven batters.
 
The Pipers will return to action on Saturday, March 12, the opening day of the Tucson Invitational, against Wheaton (Ill.) at 9 a.m. (MT), and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (MT) at 12:30 p.m. (MT).