Big games from Sam Zacks and Michael Karbowski help the Knights pull away with Saint Mary’s

NORTHFIELD, Minn. The Carleton College baseball team shared its final MIAC doubleheader of the season, dropping game one to Saint Mary’s University 9-3 before winning game two 10-2.

It was the most unique double-take of the season for the Knights (8-23, 4-16 MIAC). The twinbill began at Saint Mary’s (15-20, 9-11 MIAC) Sunday afternoon, but ended at Carleton’s Mel Taube Field a day later. Heavy rain during the sixth inning of Game 1 led to unplayable field conditions at the Cardinals’ Max Malock Field. When the teams had to resume games on Monday afternoon, it was decided to move to the Carleton campus to finish the first game and then play the second game.

In another game Sam Zacks (So./Glencoe, Ill./New Trier) went 5-6 and became the first Knight to complete a five-hit game since by Paul Hinton 5-6 performance at Whittier College on March 22, 2022. Meanwhile Matthew Karbowski (Fy./Gilberts, Ill./Hampshire) threw a four-hitter in his first career complete game, and his 9.0 innings were the longest by a Carleton pitcher since Nolan Baker’s 9.0 innings against Hamline, 3-1, in April. 22, 2014.

Game 1 recap
Saint Mary’s 9, Carleton 3

The Knights’ first run came in the top of the sixth inning. John Hurtubise (Fy./Marysville, Mich./Marysville) doubled, advanced on a groundout and scored on an error.

The Cardinals picked up a run in the middle inning. After being held scoreless through the first three frames, they pushed across three runs in the fourth, added two more in the fifth and scored four insurance runs in the sixth.

In the seventh inning, Carleton’s right fielder Sam Gossard (Fy./Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) crushed a two-run home run to straightaway center field, but the deficit was too great to overcome.

Nathan Barnhart (Fy./Gig Harbor, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) led Knight with two hits in the game, while six others each had one hit.

AJ staff (Sr./Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge) took the loss despite striking out six over 5.2 innings. Addison Hochevar picked up the win in 6.0 innings of one-run ball.

Game 2 recap
Carleton 10, Saint Mary’s 2

Zacks had five hits and four stolen bases Sam Khutkov (Fy./Needham, Mass./Needham) added four more as the Knights had a season-high 17 hits. Those numerous baserunners led to 10 runs, which was more than enough run support for Karbowski.

With Carleton playing as the visiting team, Zacks led off the game with a single, took second, advanced to third from the ground and scored on Chutkow’s infield. Steve Antrim (Jr./Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest) followed with an RBI triple to lead the Knights.

After Saint Mary’s got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame, Carleton added to its lead in the third when Hurtubise and Chutkow had back-to-back singles, the former later scoring on an infielder.

Both sides pushed across runs in the fourth inning, but the Knights tacked on another run in the fifth when Jack Hommeyer (So./Bronxville, NY/Suffield Academy) singled and later scored on a wild pitch to extend Carleton’s lead to 5-2.

In the top of the sixth, Carleton tacked on two more runs. Zacks singled, stole second and third, and scored on Chutkow’s base hit to center. Hurtubise walked and ran home on Hommeyer’s RBI groundout.

The Knights got three more insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Zacks had a two-run single and Hurtubise, who went 2-for-4 with two walks in the game followed by an RBI single.

Karbowski allowed two runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Next up for the Knights

Carleton concludes the 2023 campaign with a non-conference doubleheader at UW-Eau Claire on Tuesday, May 9. The first pitch is set for 14:00