Kaczrowski's bat comes alive at night against Saints

Kaczrowski went 5-for-6 from the plate in the two games, scoring five runs and driving in seven to lead the Pipers to the double-header sweep. Skip Fuller (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.) added an RBI in the first game and four in the second, while Ben Smith (Jr., Orono, Minn.) drove in three runs in game two.

Starting pitcher Josh Roiger (Sr., West St. Paul, Minn.) struck out six and gave up just three hits in throwing six shut-out innings for the Pipers in the opening game. Matt Mullendore (Fy., Amery, Wis.) struck out two in the final three outs to finish the game.

Hamline jumped on the scoreboard quickly in the to of the first, as Kaczrowski drew a walk that led to the first Piper run after Andrew Bennett (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) hit an RBI double to put the Pipers up 1-0.

The Pipers built up a 5-0 lead after three innings following three runs scored on three hits in the second and one run on no hits and no errors in the third. In the second, Lincoln Hughes (So., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) hit a lead-off single and Tony Rogers (Fy., Elk River, Minn.) drew a one-out walk to set up a two-RBI triple from Kaczrowski. Kaczrowski was brought the rest of the way home by Jayden Grupe's (Sr., Trimont, Minn.) single to center field.

The one run in the third came after Smith walked, stole second and was advanced to third on two more walks before Erik Voldness (Fy., Bloomington, Minn.) hit a sacrifice fly for the RBI.

In each of the fifth and sixth innings, one more run was added to the top half of the scoreboard, as Tres Humerickhouse (Fy., Farmington, Minn.) scored in the fifth after hitting a one-out double and Kaczrowski scored after drawing a lead-off walk.

The seventh inning saw the Pipers once again add three runs to their tally, scoring the runs on three hits and no errors.

Game two found the Pipers as the home team on the scoreboard, preventing Hamline from jumping out to the lead until the bottom of the first, when they scored six runs on five hits and no errors.

Kaczrowski drew a lead-off walk and then stole second to put the first Piper into scoring position. Grupe drew a walk, leading to a sacrifice bunt from Bennett to the left side of the infield that advanced both runners. Smith's double to left center drove both home for the quick 2-0 lead.

Smith stole third and then was driven home by a single from Bill Sand (So., White Bear Township, Minn.) for the third run. Hughes singled next to move Sand to second before Rogers doubled Sand home for the fourth run of the game.

Runs five and six came when Fuller doubled to bring home Rogers and Hughes.

The Pipers' offensive explosion continued into the second inning, as they added five runs on seven hits (six singles and a doubel from Kaczrowski) and no errors. In scoring the runs, Hamline hit three consecutive singles (Grupe, Bennett, Smith) to start the inning.

Presentation got on the board for the first time all night in the top of the third, scoring their only three runs of the 14 innings with four hits.

Hamline's lead climbed to 15-3 in the bottom of the fourth after the Pipers added four runs on three hits and one error from the Saints.

Ryan Preese (Fy., Champlin, Minn.) pinch hit for Hughes an reached on an error to get the inning started before James McGee (Jr., Fridley, Minn.) was hit by a pitch with one out to put runners on first and second. Fuller's RBI single scored Preese, and a double from Kaczrowski on the next at-bat drove home Fuller and McGee.

Kaczrowski scored the 15th Piper run of the game from second when Grupe singled to center field.

Hamline's 16th, and final, run of the game came in the sixth inning when Fuller singled, advanced to third after a walk and a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Alex Buresh (So., Vadnais Heights, Minn.).

Dominic Chenois (Jr., Hopkins, Minn.) picked up the win on the mound for Hamline after throwing four innings, upping his record to 4-1.

The Pipers are 11-5 after the pair of wins, while the Saints dropped to 5-9. Hamline is scheduled to open conference play on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. at Carleton.