SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University baseball team wrapped-up their 2022 season with a Sunday-afternoon non-conference bout at second-year varsity program UW-Eau Claire. Owen Christenson's 5-for-5 day powered the Pipers to a 16-6 victory in game one. Hamline's offense couldn't maintain that momentum in a 6-3 loss in game two.
The Pipers conclude their season with a 14-25 record, while the Blugolds end their campaign with a 14-26 mark.
Hamline 16, UW-Eau Claire 6
The opening two innings saw both teams trade a run en route to a 1-1 score, before the Pipers offense surge began with a three-run third inning, and ended with an eight-run seventh inning that secured them a 16-6 victory. Hamline's eight-run seventh inning was highlighted by Mac Enlow's three-run home run, and a pair of Blugold errors.
Both teams combined for 29 hits in the contest, 17 of them belonged to Hamline.
Owen Christenson's 5-for-5 day at the plate included three RBI. Cullen Buck, Colton Peters, and Avery Nelson each tallied a pair of hits for Hamline. Enlow went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run, three runs scored, a pair of walks, and a stolen base.
UW-Eau Claire finished the game with four errors.
Spencer Klika, Hayden Ring, Jonah Smallfield, and Xavier Bembnister combined to give up 12 hits, six runs (five earned), and register five strikeouts.
UW-Eau Claire 6, Hamline 3
The Pipers dug themselves out of a 2-0 deficit with a pair of second-inning runs. Caden Erickson's hit by pitch, Colton Peters' single, and Avery Nelson's walk loaded the bases. This set up Logan Tollefson's sacrifice fly that sent home Erickson to narrow Hamline's deficit to 2-1. Peters tied the game at 2-2 when Stephen Schmidt reached on a fielder's choice.
The Blugolds grabbed the lead for good with a second-inning run that made the score 3-2, and went on to produce three more runs to stretch their edge to 6-2 after five innings.
The sixth inning saw Hamline load the bases off Christenson's single, Caden Erickson's single, and Colton Peters' hit by pitch. This set up Avery Nelson's sacrifice fly that scored Christenson to make things 6-3.
Christenson went 2-for-4 at the plate for Hamline, while Erickson contributed a 2-for-2 outing.
Max Gerstner, Luke Schmaedeke, Dan Fredericks, and Josh Cary combined to give up nine hits, and six runs on the pitching rubber for the Pipers.
The Pipers bid farewell to seniors Dan Fredericks, Cullen Buck, Colton Peters, Will Tzavaras, Braden Schneider, Ryan Conn, Logan Tollefson, Avery Nelson, and Hayden Ring.
