Pipers split with Scots in MIAC action

Hamline scored in the opening half inning, as Tony Rogers (Fy., Elk River, Minn.) reached on an error, stole second, and scored on a single to center field from Ben Smith (Jr., Orono, Minn.).

The Pipers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a leadoff homerun by Alex Buresh (So., Vadnais Heights, Minn.), his second of the season.

But the Scots put together three runs in the bottom of that inning, capitalizing on a Piper balk, a walk, a hit batter, and two singles.

The Scots added an additional run in the fifth.

In the finale, the Pipers jumped out to a quick lead, scoring four runs in the opening half inning, countered by one Macalester run the bottom. Hamline then built up a 9-1 lead heading into the Macalester half of the sixth, when the Scots put two runs on the board for a 9-3 Hamline advantage.

Macalester then went into rally mode in the bottom of the seventh, piecing together five runs on five hits before Andrew Beltowsky (So., Minneapolis, Minn.) blew a third strike over the plate in front of a sedentary Macalester batter for the final out, and the save.

The save was Beltowsky's first of the season, protecting Josh Roiger's (Sr., West St. Paul, Minn.) seventh win of the season, as he upped his record to 7-2.

Roiger tossed five and two-thirds innings for Hamline, scattering four hits, two earned runs and eight strikeouts. He gave up only one walk.

In the 9-8 win, Hamline was led at the plate by Dan Kaczrowski (Jr., St. Anthony, Minn.) who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI and Andrew Bennett (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Sophomore catcher Lincoln Hughes (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) also knocked in two runs on 1-for-3 hitting.

The Pipers sit at 22-15, 11-7 MIAC, while the Scots are now 14-23, 7-13 MIAC. Hamline will conclude MIAC regular season play at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, May 5 at Bethel. The Pipers will be the home team on the scoreboard in that pair of games.