The Luther College baseball team improved to 31-9 following a non-conference sweep of Gustavus Adolphus College this afternoon on senior day in the valley. The Norse won game one 7-3 and capped off the afternoon with an 8-1 decision in the nightcap. Sixteen seniors and their parents were recognized between games by Head Coach
Bryan Nikkel and his staff, the largest senior class of any team here at at Luther this year.
It has been a record setting season for the Norse, and this afternoon,
Zach Gwost etched his name on the record books setting a new single season hits mark, recording his 66th hit of the year. He broke the old record of 65 shared by Luke Plunkett set in 2021, and Johsua Matanich who had tied the record in 2024. Gwost finished the afternoon 3-for-9 with three rbi.
In game one, Luther tallied 12 hits that included four that left the ball park.
Walker Bennett, who got the start in right field, sent the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the second over the left field fence for his first career home run on senior day. Gwost hit his 10th home run of the year, a solo shot a in the third.
Ike Swanson and
Gavin Scurr hit solo home runs in the fourth, their third and fifth of the year respectively. The four home runs brings the team total to 44, one shy of the single season record set in 2024.
Gwost and
Tyrus Werner both drove in two runs, while Scurr,
Jimmy Robbins and Bennett were all credited with one rbi.
Josh Stratton (8-0) was credited with the win as the coaching staff established a platoon method for today's games in an attempt to keep the arms ready for the A-R-C Tournament next week. Stratton pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowed one run on three hits, walked one and struck out two. Same Amundson threw 3 1/3 frames, did not allow a run on three hits and struck out five.
Brody Von Berge finished the game throwing three full innings, allowing two runs on two hits, he walked two and struck out four.
Box Score
In game two, the Norse tallied eight runs on seven hits and did the majority of their damage in the second frame. The Norse scored six runs on three hits and had a bit of help with one Gustie error. Three Norse were also plunked in this frame including
Xavier Millan for the 22nd time of the year, a new single season school record. The old mark was held by Nate Neis (21) set in 2009. The Norse completed the afternoon having been hit by pitch five times, increasing the team's total to 93.
Noah Kindem and Scurr led the attack with two rbi each, while Swanson, Gwost, Werner and Bennett all drove in one run.
Charles Running (7-1) went five full innings en route to the win. Running allowed one unearned run on one hit, did not issue a walk and struck out seven.
Box Score
Up next, the American Rivers Conference Tournament. The six-team double elimination tournament will be held May 7-9 with all but two games played at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Luther will be the No. 1 seed of the tournament and will begin its quest for a fourth A-R-C Tournament title (2007, 2016, 2021) at 3 p.m. on Thursday May 7 at Vets Stadium. Luther will face the winner of game two between the No. 4 vs. No. 5 seeds, that will take also take place at Vets Stadium at 11 a.m.
A-R-C Tournament Website
