Baseball rips St. Thomas 13-2, earns split in twinbill

Both Sand and Fuller added three hits to the Pipers' 11-hit attack. Sand went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored, and four RBIs. Fuller was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, home run, three runs scored and five RBIs.

Including center fielder Sam Wiener, the bottom third of the Piper order went 8-for-10 with six runs scored and 10 RBIs.

Hamline (17-17, 7-9 in the MIAC) jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second inning after an RBI double by Sand and run-scoring single by Fuller.

After a Matthew Pexa homer cut the lead to 3-2 after three, the Piper bats exploded for two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, and five in the sixth.

In the fourth, Fuller doubled to leadoff the inning and later scored on an error. Second baseman Dan Kaczrowski added an RBI single.

In the fifth, Sand, Fuller, and Wiener each picked up RBIs. Sand and Fuller put on the finishing touches in the sixth as Sand hit a two-run single followed by a three-run shot by Fuller - his first of the season.

St. Thomas (22-9, 10-4) came into the contest as the 19th ranked team in the country according to the ABCA. Riley Bosch (4-2), the reigning MIAC Pitcher of the Week, gave up eight runs - three earned - to take the loss.

Hamline starter Josh Roiger, who earned two wins against the Tommies last season, went six innings for the victory. He gave up five hits through six inning, struck five and walked one.

In game two, Andrew Bennett hit his ninth homer of the season in the first, but the Tommies came back and won 6-1.

St. Thomas scored two in the second, third, and sixth innings.

Lonnie Robinson hurled a complete game four-hitter for St. Thomas.

The Pipers will play Presentation Wednesday at Concordia-St. Paul. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.