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St. Olaf Baseball sweeps Hamline

Lars Finanger
April 17, 2002

On Tuesday, the St. Olaf Baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep against the Hamline Pipers. The 7-4 and 10-5 victories improved the Oles conference record to 7-1 leading into Wednesday's showdown with the first place Tommies.

The Oles broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning when catcher Dan LaManna (Sr, South St. Paul, MN) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that allowed Joe Pavelko (So, Richfield, MN) to score. Pavelko led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a Dan Norsten (So, Eagen, MN) single. With no outs, econd baseman Joe Hammond (Sr, Nellsville, WI) sacrifice bunted the two runners over to second and third. After Lars Finanger (Sr, Decorah, Iowa) flew out to shallow right field, Brian Sprout (Sr, Lake City, MN) was intentionally walked to load the bases. After LaManna's bean ball, third baseman Brad Baglien (So, Arden Hills, MN) singled home both Norsten and Sprout, increasing the Ole lead to 7-4.

The Pipers struck first in the opening stanza on Nate Erickson's two run RBI single. However, the Oles took the lead in the bottom of the inning on first baseman Mike Ludwig's (Jr, Blaine, MN) three-run homer.

Hamline tied the game 4-4 in the fifth on Nate Hansen's two-run homer.

JJ Jasperson (So, Duluth, MN) went the distance on the hill and picked up his second conference win. The right-hander surrendered four runs on eight hits while striking out eight.

With the win the Oles improved to 6-1 in conference play and 13-8 overall.

In the second game, the Oles jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning. Sprout ignited the spark, leading the inning off with a solo homer. A LaManna walk, consecutive singles by Baglien and Ludwig, and a bobbled ball by the Piper right fielder, scored LaManna. With Bagliena and Ludwig aboard, Pavelko hit his third homer of the season, a three-run shot.

The Oles scored three more in the fourth and one in the fifth, increasing the lead to 10-0.

Will Huepenbecker (Fy, Madison, WI) was masterful on the mound, holding the Pipers scoreless until the top of the sixth. Huepenbecker relinquished his first hit in the fourth and allowed only seven throughout the game. Dan Hansen (Fy, Eden Valley, MN) relieved Huepenbecker with two outs in the seventh, and after giving up a hit to his brother Nate, got the final out.

With the 10-5 win, the Oles improved to 7-1 in conference play and 14-8 overall. The second place Oles square off against the first place St. Thomas Tommies Wednesday at 2:30 at Mark Almli Field.

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