FORT MYERS Fla. – Elms (Mass.) College scored the go-ahead runs late in both games and swept the Lakeland University baseball team in both ends of a doubleheader Thursday at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Games.

The Muskies were defeated by scores of 8-7 and 6-4 on the fourth day of competition on their spring break trip. Lakeland dropped to 3-4 on the trip and on the season with two more close losses after starting 3-0 in Florida.

The Muskies held a 4-1 lead after four innings in the opener before the Blazers scored twice in the fifth and then four times in the sixth to take the lead. Elms then added a run in the seventh, but Lakeland put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh.

Cameron Sharp (So.-Pflugerville, Texas) was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Drew Richard (Jr.-Kieler, Wis.) singled and Travis Regalado (So.-Willcox, Ariz.) doubled to drive in Sharp. Richard then came in on a wild pitch, and Connor Hilburn (So.-Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to score Regalado and make it 8-7. The Muskies got no closer, though, as the final two batters were retired to end the game.

Regalado and Kenny Pekarek (Sr.-Sagola, Mich.) both had two hits in the game, while Jody Harrison (So.-Pontiac, Mich.) drove in a pair of runs. Hilburn took the loss on the mound, throwing five innings and allowing eight hits and five runs with five strikeouts.

Lakeland rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the second game, scoring twice in the top of the fourth to tie it. Bryan Bridges (So.-North Chicago, Ill.) doubled to score Brandon Punzel (Fr.-Escanaba, Mich.), and Richard later walked with the bases loaded to score Matt Benninghoff (So.-Highland, Ind.). Elms (3-7 overall) came right back in the bottom of the inning, though, with a two-run double by Tim Gelzinis serving as the deciding hit.

Regalado and Pekarek both had two more hits each and Benninghoff also added two hits. Chris Lilly (Fr.-Phillipsburg, N.J.) took the loss, throwing a complete game and allowing nine hits and six runs (four earned).