ST. PAUL, Minn. – The 2022 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Baseball Playoff championship matchup is set, as the top-seeded Bethel Royals will take on the No. 3 seed Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties at CHS Field on Saturday afternoon in St. Paul.
The regular-season MIAC champion Royals earned their spot in the title game with a 7-2 win over the Gusties on Friday, while Gustavus bounced back from the midday loss to walk-off Saint John's, 11-10, in the bottom of the tenth inning of their elimination game on Friday night to secure a berth in the Saturday's championship. Bethel will be designated as the "home" team for the 3:00 p.m. matchup with Gustavus on Saturday.
A Bethel win would give the Royals their second-ever MIAC Baseball Playoff championship, while a Gustavus victory would set up a second game 25 minutes following the first contest to determine the double-elimination tournament champion.
| 2022 MIAC Baseball Playoffs | Playoff History |
NO. 2 SAINT JOHN'S 6, NO. 4 CONCORDIA 3 | BOX SCORE | PHOTOS |
Saint John's climbed back from a 2-0 deficit early to extend its season with a 6-3 victory over Concordia on Friday afternoon. Ethan Roe came up big at the dish once again, going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double off the wall, while second baseman Owen Dauk added two hits and a pair of runs batted in as well. Left-hander Casey Trapp went the distance on the mound for a complete-game win, his fifth overall this season. Centerfield Andy Gravdahl and first baseman Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe both tallied multiple hits in the game to lead the Cobbers. Gravdahl went 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBI, while Henkemeyer was 3-for-4 with a run driven in.
NO. 1 BETHEL 7, NO. 3 GUSTAVUS 2 | BOX SCORE | PHOTOS |
Bethel punched its ticket back to the MIAC Playoff championship with a 7-2 victory over Gustavus on Friday afternoon. Designated hitter Tommy Friesen went 3-for-5 with an RBI-double in the ninth. Catcher Noah Wenberg also had a pair of runs batted in, driving home a run with a single in the seventh and bringing in another with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Max Sutter allowed six hits and two earned runs in a full nine innings of work. Gustie right fielder Dalton Thelen went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the loss.
NO. 3 GUSTAVUS 11, NO. 2 SAINT JOHN'S 10 (10 INNINGS) | BOX SCORE | PHOTOS |
In the most dramatic game of the 2022 postseason, Gustavus earned an 11-10 walk-off win in the bottom of the tenth inning of a back-and-forth elimination game against Saint John's on Friday night. The Gusties jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but Saint John's was on top, 6-2, by the end of the second. The Johnnies headed into the bottom of the seventh up 7-4 when a five-run inning swung momentum all the way back to Gustavus. With two runners on and down to their last out in the top of the ninth, SJU entrusted Jack Schleper in a tough pinch-hitting spot and he delivered big, doubling down the right-field line to score two and eventually send the game to extra innings. The Johnnies took the lead on a sac fly in the top of the 10th, setting the stage for one more Gustavus rally. Jack Hanson singled up the middle to begin the inning and was advanced on to second on a sacrifice bunt. Following an Ethan Mocchi flyout, Drake Siens tied the game with a triple down the right-field line and Nick Azar punched in a single up the middle to send Gustavus to the title game. Six Gusties had multiple hits in the game, with Siens, Azar, and leadoff man Bryce Novak each driving in two runs apiece. Damon Rademacher tossed 7.0 innings in relief for Gustavus and catcher-turned-pitcher Ethan Mocchi snagged the win in the 10th.
Bethel is now headed to the MIAC Playoff championship for the fourth time in program history. The Royals are 1-2 all-time in playoff title games and won it all in their last appearance in 2018. Gustavus is 0-2 all-time in playoff championship games with their last appearance coming in 2019.
Saturday's MIAC Championship game will begin at 3:00 p.m. If the Gusties win the first game, a second game will follow 25 minutes after the first to determine the double-elimination tournament winner. The champion will receive the MIAC's automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament.
Tickets for Saturday can be purchased in advance via the St. Paul Saints website. Prices are $10 for adults and $6 for students (with student ID). Note that all tickets are initially priced as general admission and student discounts will be applied at checkout. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate on game days.
MIAC BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Game 1: No. 1 Bethel 7, No. 4 Concordia 0 | Box Score | Recap |
Game 2: No. 3 Gustavus 17, No. 2 Saint John's 7 | Box Score | Recap |
Friday, May 13, 2022
Game 3: No. 2 Saint John's 6, No. 4 Concordia 3 | Box Score |
Game 4: No. 1 Bethel 7, No. 3 Gustavus 2 | Box Score |
Game 5: No. 3 Gustavus 11, No. 2 Saint John's 10 (10 innings) | Box Score |
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Game 6: No. 1 Bethel vs. No. 3 Gustavus | 3:00 p.m. | Video | Live Stats |
Game 7: If necessary | 25 minutes after Game 6 | Video | Live Stats |
PLAYOFF INFORMATION
All Playoff information including seedings, scores, and recaps can be found on the 2022 MIAC Baseball Playoffs. Fans can also follow the action on the MIAC Scoreboard, on the free MIAC mobile app, and on social media through the MIAC's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
