Lancers end series with win
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace’s baseball team capped off its series with Indiana Wesleyan with a victory.
The teams split the doubleheader on Monday with IWU winning 11-4 in the opener, and Grace winning 4-2 to end the day.
The first game started evenly with the score level at 2-2 after three innings.
Grace scored its first run with a solo homer from Josh Cosme. Later in the inning, Grace tied the game at 2-2 after a sacrifice fly by Alex Rich brought in Jake Cox.
But IWU slowly and steadily added to its run tally over the final five innings. The Wildcats (18-15, 11-7 Crossroads League) scored in the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth frames, eventually pulling away from the Lancers.
Grace pushed two runs across in the top of the eighth inning when Chris Griffin parked a two-run home run over the center field fence with no outs.
But the Lancers (13-20, 7-13 CL) were unable to draw closer and fell 11-4 in the opener.
Cosme batted 2 for 4, and Griffin hit 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Austin Carr and Jeff Pawlik had two hits apiece.
The Lancers struck first in the second game of the day. Cal Curiel drove in Austin Carr for the opening run during the second inning. Grace could have scored more with the bases loaded and only one out, but the Lancers were retired with two strikeouts.
The Wildcats countered with a run in the top of the third, but Grace quickly regained the lead in the bottom half. Griffin began the inning with a double, and Rich brought him home with a single.
Grace again loaded the bases in the third but had to settle for one run as the Lancers led 2-1.
The sides traded solo home runs in the fifth inning; IWU evened the game with a one-out homer in the top of the fifth, and Sam Newkirk put Grace ahead 3-2 with a two-out blast in the bottom half.
The Wildcats threatened to score in the sixth inning with two baserunners. But Hunter Schumacher entered in relief and struck out the final batter to end the inning.
Grace added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Pawlik produced a two-out single to plate Collin Lytle, giving Grace a 4-2 margin.
IWU put itself in position to rally in the seventh, placing runners on second and third. But Schumacher repeated his performance with another strikeout to end the game.
Schumacher struck out four in his relief appearance to earn the save.
Jake Decker earned the win, throwing the opening 5.2 innings and allowing six hits with two runs.
Carr hit 3 for 4 with a run scored, and Pawlik had 2 hits, 1 double, 1 run and 1 RBI.
The Lancers end the week with a four-game series in Indianapolis against Marian on Friday and Saturday.
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