PELLA, IOWA—The Hamline University baseball team dropped a pair of games to Central (Iowa) by scores of 10-3 and 9-7 in Pella, Iowa on Saturday.

The Pipers fall to 7-11, while the Dutch improve to 6-9.

Central 10, Hamline 3 (Game One)

Max Gerstner led off the game with a walk before he stole second base and reached third on a Dutch throwing error. This set up Caden Erickson's RBI single that put Hamline in the driver's seat at 1-0.

That proved to be the Pipers' lone lead of the game, as they committed three errors in the second frame that turned into four Central runs that gave them a 4-1 advantage. Hamline scored a run in the third and ninth innings, but it didn't result in another lead in a 10-3 loss.

Central narrowly outhit Hamline 10-9.

Max Gerstner went 2-for-4 with a ninth-inning home run, two runs scored, one RBI, and one walk from the lead-off spot. Rounding out the multi-hit Pipers was Finn Melchior, who finished the game 2-for-2. 

Logan McCoy paced Central at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing that included a double, one run scored, and two walks.

Parker Leipzig, Dalton Maxwell, and Xavier Bembnister combined to allow 10 hits and notch five strikeouts for Hamline.

Central 9, Hamline 7 (Game Two)

The Pipers jumped to a 3-1 advantage behind Melchior's two-run home run in the first inning, and Jacob Barmor's second-inning RBI-single that scored Cade McGraw. 

It was an advantage Hamline held until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Declan O'Hare's grand slam put Central in front for good at 5-3. The Pipers entered the ninth inning down 9-5, which sparked a comeback bid. Colin Schuetz reached on an infield error before he narrowed the score to 9-6 off Gerstner's RBI single. Caden Erickson followed that with an RBI-double that scored Alec Ralph, who reached on a fielder's choice, that put the margin at 9-7.

Hamline, who outhit Central 13-8, received production from the top of their lineup. Erickson went 3-for-6 with a double and two RBI, while Gerstner and Tyler Johnson each had a 2-for-5 outing with one run scored and one RBI. Melchior's two-run home run highlighted his 1-for-2 game. Jacob Barmore prevailed with a 3-for-5 outing.

Max Steinlage and Dom DeLaPaz each went 2-for-5 for Central.

Conor Mestemacher, Josh Cary, and Hans Christensen V combined for 12 strikeouts on the mound for the Pipers.

Hamline will conclude their non-conference schedule with a single game at Central tomorrow, Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m.