SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University baseball team made the short trip to Macalester (DH) on Tuesday, where they dropped game one 9-1 and stormed to a 16-5 victory in game two behind season highs in almost every offensive category.
The Pipers conclude the day with a 12-23, 5-13 MIAC record, while the Scots move to 12-21, 8-12 MIAC.
Macalester 9, Hamline 1
Hamline set the tone with their lone run of the game in the third inning; where Braeden Bourne led off with a single before he advanced to second on Stephen Schmidt's groundout, and moved to third base on Cullen Buck's single. This set up a successful double steal, as Bourne stole home to give the Pipers a 1-0 lead.
Macalester concluded the game with nine unanswered runs, which included a six-run fourth inning that gave them enough cushion in a 9-1 victory.
Branson surrendered eight hits, seven runs (two earned), and struck out four batters over four innings of work in the pitching start for Hamline. Will Tzavaras, Xavier Bembnister, and Josh Cary finished the game in relief.
Buck and Schmidt led the Pipers offense with two hits apiece.
Hamline 16, Macalester 5
The Scots held a 4-3 lead after the fifth inning, which ignited a Pipers offense that went on to produce a season-high 16 runs, 19 hits, 13 RBI, and 12 walks in the contest. It started with a sixth inning that saw the Pipers bat around the lineup thanks to five singles, three walks, and three Macalester errors. This gave the Pipers six runs that pushed their lead to 9-4. Cullen Buck and Braeden Bourne each tallied RBI-singles, while Caden Erickson and Gavin Renwick each drew a bases-loaded walk in the frame.
The Scots added their final run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth to narrow the score to 9-5, before the Pipers closed things with seven unanswered runs that included a five-run ninth that locked them a 16-5 victory. The ninth inning saw the Pipers bat around the lineup thanks to four hits, three walks, and two Macalester errors.
The Scots finished the game with seven errors. Mac Enlow had a monster day at the plate with a 5-for-6 outing that included three RBI and two runs scored for the Pipers. Caden Erickson went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Max Gerstner and Buck also had three-hit games for the Pipers, while Stephen Schmidt tallied a pair of hits.
All 19 of Hamline's hits were singles. Ryan Conn allowed nine hits, five runs, and struck out two over six innings of work in the pitching start for Hamline, before Hayden Ring threw the final three innings.
The Pipers will return to action on Saturday, May 7 at CHS Field against St. Scholastica (DH) at 6 p.m.
