ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Carleton College baseball team (8-12, 3-3 MIAC) got two more stellar pitching performances but had to settle for a split against host Hamline University. The Knights dropped the opener by a 3-1 margin before prevailing in game two, 9-2. Left fielder Ray Yong (Fy./Elmhurst, Ill./York) went 4-for-5 with four doubles and four RBI in the nightcap to support Paul Dimick’s (Jr./Northfield, Minn./Northfield) route-going effort.
Jacob Anderson (Sr./Anoka, Minn./Anoka) absorbed the tough-luck loss in game one. He permitted three runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts over 6.0 innings on the bump. It was his second consecutive quality start to open conference play.
Ben Walsh (Fy./New Canaan, Conn./St. Paul School) tied things up at 1-1 with a run-scoring bunt in the second inning, but a frame later Tony Rogers’ single to centerfield plated a pair of Pipers for the final tallies of the contest. Like Anderson, Dan Ellefson went the distance, striking out six batters and giving up just one walk to earn the win for Hamline.
Game two was 3-2 in favor of the Knights when Jim Klein (Sr./Alameda, Calif./College Preparatory) swung the momentum solely into Carleton’s corner in the sixth inning. The hustling veteran beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt, loading the bases with none out. Yong followed with his third double of the contest, this one plating a pair as the Knights went on to score five times in the frame, putting the game away.
The offense provided plenty of run support for Dimick (2-3), who yielded just two unearned runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts in his second complete game of the campaign.
The Knights’ pitching staff, which entered the year with numerous question marks, has had the answer as of late. Carleton hurlers have now yielded three or fewer runs nine times over the squad’s last 10 games. Over this span, the Knights own a combined 2.92 ERA (23 ER in 71 IP), an eye-popping figure when considering this includes an 11-run outburst by Saint Mary’s last Wednesday.
Alex Wirta (Jr./Corte Madera, Calif./Redwood) was 5-for-6 on the day, raising his average in MIAC play to .438. David Ames (Sr./Riverwoods, Ill./Deerfield) went 4-for-7 and is now hitting .571 in conference games.
“We finally swung the bats again in the second game, which was great to see,” said Carleton Head Coach Aaron Rushing. “Hopefully we can carry that momentum into the second half of the season. Ray Yong was especially impressive, using the whole field to pound out four doubles. Dimick and Anderson turned in two more tremendous performances on the mound. Our pitching is really coming around.”
Carleton hosts Bethel University on Tuesday, April 12. Knights Online will provide live audio and live stats of the doubleheader.
