GAME 1
TOPEKA, Kan. — Hamline secured an 8-5 victory over Martin Luther on Saturday in a neutral-site matchup. Hamline's offense accumulated 10 hits, including a home run, and drew five walks, contributing to their consistent scoring across six innings.
In the second inning,
Stevie Schmitt was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on another wild pitch. Martin Luther also scored once in the second, making it 1-1 at the end of the inning.
In the third inning,
Owen Giesen was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single by Alex Hokenson, giving the Pipers a 2-1 lead. By the end of the fourth inning, Hamline extended its lead to 3-1 as
Jacob Barmore scored on an error after reaching third on a wild pitch.
The fifth inning saw Hamline increase its lead to 5-1 with
Ryan Burley scoring on a single by Schmitt, followed by
Maddex Van Slooten scoring on a fielder's choice by Barmore. In the sixth inning, Giesen hit a solo home run, extending Hamline's advantage to 6-1.
Hamline added two more runs in the seventh inning.
Owen Hodson, a pinch runner for
Jack Rheineck, scored on a single by Barmore.
Kyle Vanek drove in Barmore with a fielder's choice, making it 8-1. Martin Luther made a push in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs, but Hamline maintained its lead and secured the win with a final score of 8-5.
Jacob Barmore led the offensive charge, scoring two runs and driving in two more, while also reaching base with a walk.
Bentley Casey impressed on the mound, pitching six innings and allowing just one earned run on three hits, with two strikeouts. Giesen contributed both power and speed, hitting a home run and scoring two runs with one stolen base.
Ryan Burley showcased his versatility with two hits, a run scored, and a stolen base, while also making an appearance as a pitcher.
GAME 2
Hamline fell to Martin Luther in a closely contested game, 11-10, on Saturday. Despite Hamline's six-run rally in the sixth inning, it couldn't overcome Martin Luther's early six-run first inning.
In the first inning, Martin Luther took a commanding lead, scoring six runs. The Pipers managed a single hit by
Ryan Burley but left three runners stranded. The score stood at 6-0 in favor of Martin Luther at the end of the first.
Hamline started to chip away at the deficit in the second inning.
Grant Peltier singled and later scored on an error, and
Owen Giesen, who had walked, also scored on a single by Burley, bringing the score to 6-2.
The third inning saw the Pipers close the gap further. Giesen's two-RBI single brought home
Jacob Barmore and Peltier, reducing Martin Luther's lead to 6-4.
Martin Luther responded in the fourth inning with three runs, extending its lead to 9-4. Hamline was unable to score in its half of the inning.
In the fifth inning, Martin Luther added two more runs, making the score 11-4. Hamline's bats came alive in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on seven hits.
Maddex Van Slooten's two-RBI single and Barmore's two-RBI single highlighted the inning, narrowing the margin to 11-10.
Both teams went scoreless in the seventh inning, cementing the final score at 11-10 in favor of Martin Luther.
Ryan Burley led the way offensively with five hits and one run batted in, contributing significantly to the Pipers' performance.
Grant Peltier added three hits, including a double, and scored two runs while also stealing two bases.
Jacob Barmore contributed with two runs scored and two RBIs, providing key offensive support.
Owen Giesen recorded two hits, scored twice, and drove in two runs, rounding out a strong showing for the team.
Sam Johnson struggled in his start, allowing six earned runs on three hits and three walks in just one-third of an inning, resulting in a loss.
Dryden Seeley also faced difficulties, surrendering two hits in two-thirds of an inning while managing to avoid any earned runs.
Lucas Mork provided some stability by pitching 2 2/3 innings with one strikeout and no earned runs, despite allowing four hits.
Carter Hoff and Sebastian Teague combined for one inning of work, with Hoff giving up one earned run on a hit, while Teague struck out one batter and allowed two hits without conceding an earned run. Jacob Hasapopou closed with a brief appearance, recording an out on just two pitches.
