MEQUON – Concordia University Wisconsin did much of its scoring late as the Lakeland College baseball team wrapped up its season with a pair of losses Saturday afternoon at Concordia's Kapco Park.
The Muskies were defeated 9-2 in the first game of the doubleheader and bowed by a 13-1 score in the second game. Lakeland concluded its season with a 9-30 overall record and finished 3-17 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.
Concordia (21-17 overall, 11-9 NACC) scored 17 of its 22 runs from the fifth inning on. That included four runs in the seventh inning in the opener, plus three runs in the fifth and an eight-run sixth inning in the second game.
The Muskies rapped out nine hits in the first game and scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to briefly cut into a four-run deficit.
Travis Stever (
So.-Milton, Wis.) hit a solo home run in the sixth, his first career homer, and
Kyle Delahaut (
Jr.-Green Bay, Wis.) answered a Concordia run in the bottom of the sixth by singling home
Sterling Dixon (
Jr.-Grayslake, Ill.) to make it 5-2 in the top of the seventh.
The Falcons answered with four in the bottom of the seventh to open it up, and Lakeland got no closer. Dixon and
Drew Richard (
Fr.-Kieler, Wis.) both had two hits each, while
Luke Mandich (
Jr.-Green Bay, Wis.) took the loss on the mound, allowing nine hits and nine runs (six earned) with two strikeouts over six innings.
Concordia led 2-0 after 4 1/2 innings in the second contest before scoring three in the bottom of the fifth.
Ryan Boettcher (
Sr.-Bonduel, Wis.) doubled to score
Brady Callahan (
Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-1, but the Falcons responded with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth and won the game in seven innings due to the 10-run rule.
Boettcher had two hits in the second game but also took the loss, starting and surrendering 13 hits and 12 runs in 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts.
Luke Kelly (
Jr.-Marinette, Wis.) cleaned up in relief in both games, allowing four hits and an unearned run with a strikeout in 2 2/3 innings, including two innings in the first game.
The games were the final ones for three Lakeland seniors: Boettcher, Callahan and
A.J. Dollinger (
Ashwaubenon, Wis.) followed two batters later with a sharp single to left center to score Boettcher to tie the game. Callahan had two hits on the day and Dollinger added a single in the first game.
