Staff Writer- Alayna Boe
Down in St. Louis, Missouri, the Gustavus Adolphus College Baseball team had a hard-fought doubleheader against the Wash U Bears this past Sunday. These two games proved to be challenging for the Golden Gusties, but they came out knowing competition was strong and that the season is young. Being back from their spring break Arizona trip, the Gusties are excited to finally get rolling on the season.
The first matchup against the Bears was an adjustment for the Gusties. Pitching was faster than they were used to, so the batters had a hard time getting the bats hot. This lack of hitting played into the final score of the game, which was 2-6, Wash U. The first score of the game for Gustavus came in the fourth inning as Sophomore Charlie Gearen hit a home run over the left-center fence.
Hitting an RBI in the fourth, Sophomore Cade Kimmes hit a single and brought in Junior Andrew Glovich. This gave the Gusties a little bit of momentum, but their scoring for the first game would end there. Gearen and Kimmes led the Gusties with two hits each.
“I think our hitters and our pitchers were both tested in ways that are going to be really beneficial for how this season turns out for us,” Junior Brayden Kohls stated.
Pitching for the Gusties was led by Sophomore Logan Feeney, who played five of the eight innings for the Gusties. He fought hard at the mound and allowed three runs during his time on the hill. First-year Jack Ortale came in for Feeney and allowed three runs in the final three innings of this first game. The Bears hit and took advantage of the Gustie pitchers, making the final score of the game 2-6.
Heading into the second game of this doubleheader, the Gusties were tired, but hungry for a win. Again, the Golden Gusties did not score until the fourth inning. Senior Joe Burns hit a home run down the right field line. This run put them on the board and made the score 2-1, so it was looking up for Gustavus. The score would not stay this close, because Wash U would strike three runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, putting them up 11-4.
Scoring again in the sixth, Junior Isaiah Hasz hit a sacrifice fly to center, which scored Gearen in. The Gusties scored again in the seventh and eighth innings, but with only one run per inning, the score was far from their reach. All in all, the games were beneficial to the Gusties and showed them some great competition to get their season started.
With a new group of guys, the first couple of months of getting into the season can be hard, but these men have taken that challenge and have become closer than ever. It took work to make the locker room a close environment.
“We definitely had to put some time in for all the guys to come together and find their role,” Kohls said.
Roles on a team can be ever-changing and with a young team like this one, it can be hard to fall into specific roles.
Facing adversity early on in the season could be beneficial for the team because it will help them work harder and focus on what needs to happen. Conference play is happening on Saturday, March 28th, against Concordia on our very own Gustie Baseball Field. These games will show the Gusties where their place is in the conference and what work still needs to be done.