NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Late-game heroics was the theme of the day as the Carleton College baseball team picked up a pair of walk-off victories over visiting Hamline University.
Will Schnepf delivered the game-winning hit in a 5-4 triumph in game one, while
Jack Hommeyer tied game two in the bottom of the ninth before
Aaron Rice knocked home the 5-4 game-winner in the 10th inning.
Game One – Carleton 5, Hamline 4
Schnepf punched a single up the middle in the bottom of the first to open the scoring, but the Pipers (6-31, 1-17 MIAC) got two runs back in the top of the second. An error helped Hamline plate two more in the third, making the score 4-1.
The Knights (11-19, 5-13 MIAC) made it a 4-3 game when Schnepf picked up another RBI single in the bottom of the third, and
Ryan Chang followed with a sacrifice fly to center. It stayed a one-run game until the bottom of the seventh.
There,
Sam Zacks led off with a double down the line and came around to tie the game on a
Sam Gossard single roped through the left side. With one out, Schnepf stepped to the dish and crushed a curveball off the wall in right-center. Gossard wheeled around the base paths and slid home ahead of the tag for Carleton's first walk-off victory since Mar. 30, 2024 against St. Scholastica.
Ananth Iyer started on the mount for Carleton and went all 7.0 innings. He scattered six hits, conceded four runs (three earned) and struck out a career-high eight hitters.
Zacks went 3-for-3 and scored three times. Gossard was 1-for-2 with a walk and the other two runs. Schnepf finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
Game Two – Carleton 5, Hamline 4 (10 inn.)
Chang cranked a single into center in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 Knights' lead. Carleton added another tally in the third with an RBI knock from Rice, and starting pitcher
Sam Chutkow diced up the visiting lineup with soft contact for six innings. The Knights did leave seven runners on in the first six frames, keeping the score at 2-0.
Hamline finally got to Chutkow in the seventh, knocking six hits and plating three runs. Zacks stung another double to left-center to lead off the bottom of the frame, and after back-to-back outs and a hit-by-pitch, Chang doubled to deep right-center to tie the game at 3-3.
In the top of the eighth, a leadoff walk from reliever
Zach Gordon came around to score for the Pipers after an outfield error. The righty bore down and stranded the runner at third with two big outs to keep the score 4-3. Carleton left two more runners on the paths in the eighth, and Gordon pitched a scoreless ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Schnepf snuck a single past the second baseman with one out. Chang walked, and Iyer blooped a single into right to load the bases with one out. Hommeyer laid a perfect bunt single down the third base line to score the tying run, but the Knights left the bases loaded and the game knotted at 4-4.
Chang moved from third to the mound and induced three flyouts to work a scoreless top of the 10th. Zacks hit the first pitch he saw in the home half of the frame into left field for a single, and Gossard executed a sacrifice bunt to move the winning run to second base. Rice took to the batter's box, battled to a two-strike count, and lifted a fly down the right field line. The ball dropped in just fair, and Zacks scored from second base for the second walk-off on the afternoon.
Zacks had two hits and scored two runs. Rice was 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Nathan Barnhart also went 3-for-5. Chang was 2-for-4 with a two-bagger and two RBI.
Chutkow's start spanned 7.0 innings. He allowed eight hits, a walk, and three seventh-inning runs. He fanned four. Gordon worked 2.0 hitless innings, striking out one and allowing just one unearned run. Chang pitched a clean 10th, and was tabbed for the win.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton concludes its MIAC slate against cross-town rival St. Olaf College on Saturday, May 3. Game one of the road doubleheader is set for 1:00 p.m.
