NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College baseball team split its final MIAC doubleheader of the season, dropping game one to Saint Mary's University, 9-3, before taking the game two by a 10-2 tally.
 
This was the most unique doubleheader of the Knights' (8-23, 4-16 MIAC) season. The twinbill started at Saint Mary's (15-20, 9-11 MIAC) on Sunday afternoon but finished at Carleton's Mel Taube Field a day later. Heavy rain during the sixth inning of game one led to unplayable field conditions at the Cardinals' Max Malock Field. With the teams forced to resume the games on Monday afternoon, the decision was made to re-locate to the Carleton campus to conclude game one and then play game two.
 
In the second game, Sam Zacks (So./Glencoe, Ill./New Trier) went 5-for-6, becoming the first Knight with a five-hit game since Paul Hinton's 5-for-6 performance at Whittier College on March 22, 2022. Meanwhile, Matthew Karbowski (Fy./Gilberts, Ill./Hampshire) tossed a four-hitter in notching his first career complete game, and his 9.0-inning effort was the longest by a Carleton pitcher since Nolan Baker pitched 9.0 innings against Hamline 3-1 on April 22, 2014.
 
Game 1 Recap
Saint Mary's 9, Carleton 3
The Knights' first run came in the top of the sixth inning. John Hurtubise (Fy./Marysville, Mich./Marysville) doubled, advanced on a groundout, and scored on an error.
 
The Cardinals bunched their runs in the middle innings. After being held scoreless over the first three frames, they pushed three runs across in the fourth inning, add two more in the fifth, and scored four insurance runs in the sixth inning.
 
In the seventh inning, Carleton rightfielder Sam Gossard (Fy./Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) smashed a two-run home run to straightaway center field, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
 
Nathan Barnhart (Fy./Gig Harbor, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) led the Knight with two hits in the game, while six others each had one hit.
 
AJ Staff (Sr./Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge) took the loss despite striking out six over 5.2 innings. Addison Hochevar picked up the win with 6.0 innings of one-run ball.
 
Game 2 Recap
Carleton 10, Saint Mary's 2
Zacks had five hits—and four stolen bases—while Sam Chutkow (Fy./Needham, Mass./Needham) added four more as the Knights tied their season high with 17 hits. Those numerous baserunners led to 10 runs, which was more than enough run support for Karbowski.
 
With Carleton playing as the visiting team, Zacks led off the game with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on Chutkow's infield single. Steve Antrim (Jr./Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest) followed with an RBI triple to double the Knights' lead.
 
After Saint Mary's got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame, Carleton extended its advantage in the third inning as Hurtubise and Chutkow had consecutive singles, with the former later scoring on an infielder grounder.
 
Both sides pushed across runs in the fourth inning, but the Knights tallied another run in the fifth when Jack Hommeyer (So./Bronxville, N.Y./Suffield Academy) singled and later scored on a wild pitch to extend the Carleton lead to 5-2.
 
The top of the sixth saw two more runs come across for Carleton. Zacks singled, stole send and third, and scored on Chutkow's base hit to center. Hurtubise walked and raced home on Hommeyer's RBI groundout.
 
The Knights tacked on three more insurance tallies in the top of the ninth. Zacks had a two-run single, and Hurtubise—who went 2-for-4 with two walks in the game—followed with an RBI single.
 
Karbowski permitted two runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton closes the 2023 campaign with a non-conference doubleheader at UW-Eau Claire on Tuesday, May 9. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.