COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The 2023 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Baseball Playoffs got underway on Thursday from Becker Park in Collegeville. No. 4 Bethel upset No. 1 Gustavus, 3-1, in the first contest of the tournament before No. 3 Concordia topped No. 2 Saint John's, 6-4, in the nightcap.
The top two seeds in the tournament - Gustavus and Saint John's - will now matchup in an elimination game at noon on Friday, while Bethel and Concordia will meet at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow with a trip to the playoff championship on the line. The Gusties and Cobbers will be designated as the "home" teams for those contests.
| 2023 MIAC Baseball Playoffs | Playoff History |
NO. 4 BETHEL 3, NO. 1 GUSTAVUS 1 | BOX SCORE |
Bethel scored twice in the second inning and once more in the sixth to outduel top-seeded Gustavus, 3-1, in the MIAC Playoff opener on Thursday. Royal infielders Jordan Krupke and Nolan Jurgenson each drove home runs with singles in the second inning before Keenan Hodgkin belted a solo home run in the top of the sixth. Luke Johnson brought Patrick Timmer home to put Gustavus on the board in the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff triple by Logan Bjorkman in the bottom of the ninth gave the Gusties hope for a comeback; however, Bethel pitcher Marcus Krupke retired the next three batters for a Bethel victory. Krupke allowed seven hits and struck out eight in the complete-game win. Mitch Casperson was saddled with the loss for Gustavus after allowing six hits and three runs in six innings of work.
NO. 3 CONCORDIA 6, NO. 2 SAINT JOHN'S 4 | BOX SCORE |
Concordia outslugged Saint John's by a margin of 6-4 to earn the program's first postseason win since 2015 on Thursday night. The Cobbers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning before SJU scored runs in the third and fourth innings to take the lead. Both teams scored in the game's fifth frame before Concordia claimed the lead for good with runs in the sixth and seventh. Cobber center fielder Andy Gravdahl went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI in the victory, while right fielder Caiden Kjelstrom added two hits and scored a run of his own. Johnnie left fielder Jack Schleper was 2-for-4 with a double and a home run in the loss. SJU first baseman Max Nyrop also hit a pair of doubles and scored a run for the Johnnies. Ashwin Stratton was credited with the win on the mound, going six innings with seven hits and three runs allowed against a trio of strikeouts.
The Gusties and Johnnies will now meet at noon on Friday in an elimination game, while the Royals and Cobbers will match up at 3:00 p.m. to determine one-half of the 2023 MIAC Playoff Championship Game on Saturday. The winner of the noon game will hang around to face the loser of the Bethel versus Concordia matchup in the second elimination contest of the day at 6:00 p.m. Whichever team comes out on top in the 6:00 p.m. contest will return on Saturday for the title game.
Saturday's MIAC Championship will begin at 3:00 p.m. If necessary, 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 NCAA Baseball Tournament. All playoff game dates and times are tentative and may be adjusted in the event of inclement weather.
Tickets are required for each day of the Playoffs and are available for purchase via HomeTown Ticketing on the MIAC Championship page. Prices are $10 (plus fees) for adults and $2 (plus fees) for students with ID. Children ages five and under receive free entry. Please note that pets, seeds/shells, and coolers are not permissible at Becker Park so fans should plan to leave them at home.
All Playoff information including seedings, scores, and recaps can be found on the 2023 MIAC Baseball Playoffs page. 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.
MIAC BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Game 1: No. 4 Bethel 3, No. 1 Gustavus 1 | Box Score |
Game 2: No. 3 Concordia 6, No. 2 Saint John's 4 | Box Score |
Friday, May 12, 2023
Game 3: No. 1 Gustavus vs. No. 2 Saint John's | 12:00 PM
Game 4: No. 4 Bethel vs. No. 3 Concordia | 3:00 PM
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 | 6:00 PM
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 | 3:00 PM
Game 7: If necessary, 25 minutes after Game 6
| 2023 MIAC Baseball Playoffs | Playoff History |