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Oles sweep the Gusties

LeAnn Finger
April 10, 2002

On Monday, the Oles opened the 2002 conference season with a doubleheader sweep over Gustavus. In their first home games of the season, the Oles shut out Gustavus 9-0 and 4-0.

In the first game, the Oles defeated the Gusties using their potent offensive attack and near flawless pitching. Eight of the nine starters contributed at least one hit, while five of those eight blasted out two or more.

The Oles jumped ahead in the first inning and never looked back. Captains Brian Sprout (Sr, Lake City, MN) and Dan LaManna (Sr, South St. Paul, MN) led the stanza off with consecutive singles and advanced to second and third on Steve Ryan's (Sr, South St. Paul) walk. Sprout scored on first baseman Mike Ludwig's (Jr, Blaine, MN) double play ground out, giving the Oles a 1-0 lead.

The one run was all starting pitcher Charlie Ruud (So, Cannon Falls, MN) would need. Ruud flirted with perfection, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. Ruud went the distance on the mound, allowing no runs, no walks, two hits, and striking out three.

The Oles added three runs in the third increasing their lead to 4-0. Once again, Sprout led off the inning with a single before moving to second on a LaManna groundout. Sprout scored from second on third baseman Brad Baglien's (So, Arden Hills, MN) one out, RBI single. After Ryan was hit-by-a-pitch, Ludwig drove in both runners on a single to right field.

The Oles struck again in the fifth and sixth adding to their lead. In the sixth inning, Baglien stroked a one out single and scored on Ryan's triple to the right-center gap. With Ryan on third, Ludwig blasted a home run over the left field fence.

Ludwig led the Oles on offense, going 3 for 4, with a home run and three RBI's. Sprout, Baglien, Ryan, and Joe Hammond (Sr, Nellsville, Wisc.) all added two hits to the scoring barrage.

The Oles completed the sweep with a 4-0 win in the second game.

LaManna opened the scoring in the first inning. After reaching first on an error, LaManna scored two batters later when the Gustavus shortstop misfielded a Ryan groundball.

The Oles increased their lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning. With one out, LaManna singled and scored on Baglien's RBI double. After Ryan reached on a fielder's choice grounder, Ludwig and Pavelko stroked out consecutive singles, scoring Ryan. Ludwig scored on a Dan Norsten (So, Eagen, MN) grounder that was misplayed by the Gustavus second baseman.

Erik Goodmanson (Sr, Albert Lea, MN) went the distance on the mound and picked up the second shut-out win of the day for the Oles. Goodmanson allowed no runs and four hits and struck out seven.

LaManna led the Oles on offense going 2 for 4, while scoring two runs and stealing one base.

With the wins, the Oles improved their overall record to 9-7, and their conference record to 2-0. The Oles will travel to Concordia tomorrow afternoon for a 2:30 conference doubleheader.

Contact LeAnn Finger at 507-786-3315 or finger@stolaf.edu.