OMAHA, Neb. (February 20, 2022) - After scoring 12 runs to begin the season on Saturday, the Buena Vista University baseball team chalked up 26 more on Sunday en route to a pair of wins over Hamline University to complete the three-game series sweep to begin the season.

BVU broke open a 1-1 contest in the opener by batting around in the fourth inning and scoring seven times, highlighted by a two-run triple by Zach Pleggenkuhle and a two-run double by Calvin Harris.  Zach Beekmann, who doubled home a run in the fourth added another run-scoring double in the sixth to make it a 9-1 contest.  That was more than enough for freshman Mark Eddie who was making his collegiate debut on the mound.  The righthander allowed just one run over his 6.0 innings of work while allowing only three hits and striking out seven.

Hamline scored four runs in the seventh to get as close as 9-5 before BVU got those runs back during a four-run ninth.

Jackson Smith was 3-for-5 and scored two runs for the Beavers while Beekman went 2-for-5 with the two doubles and two RBI.  Harris also added three RBI and finished with two hits while Joel Garcia also doubled and finished with two hits.

Devon Van Houten, who missed all of last season due to injury, returned to the mound in the seventh inning and scattered just two hits and no runs over 1.2 innings.

It was all Beavers in the finale as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead with five runs in the top of the first inning, including a monster three-run home run from junior Grant Oseka to cap the scoring.  He later added an RBI single in the eighth and finished with a game-high four RBI.  Garcia posted a career-high four hits during a 4-for-4 performance which included three doubles.  Jordan Mathewson tallied a season-high three hits, including his first home run of the year, with Caden Mathewson chipping in with two hits and three RBI.

Mason Gehling (1-0) got the start on the hill and pitched five strong innings.  He scattered seven hits and allowed three runs while striking out five.  Aiden Brock, Morgan Smith along with Harris, combined to pitch the final four innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking two.  Four of those punchouts came via Smith, who made his collegiate debut.

Buena Vista sits at 3-0 on the season and will travel to St. Louis, Mo., next weekend for a three-game tilt at No. 9 Wash U.  First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is set for 11:00 a.m.