Dylan Royce (
Fr.-Nekoosa, Wis.) earned his first collegiate win as the Lakeland University baseball team defeated Finlandia (Mich.) University 6-3 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
The Muskies won their home opener before the Lions bounced back for a 6-4 win in the second game of the non-conference doubleheader. Lakeland is now 4-8 overall this season while Finlandia is 3-13.
Royce threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed six hits and two runs (one earned) with five strikeouts in his second collegiate start. He left the game in the sixth with a 4-2 lead, and
Noah Kennedy (
Fr.-Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) came on in relief and pitched the final 1 2/3 for his first collegiate save.
Royce received all the run support he would need in a four-run third inning.
Jack Banks (
Fr.-Mountain View, Calif.) grounded out to shortstop with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1,
Travis Regalado (
So.-Willcox, Ariz.) singled down the left field line to score two, and
Brandon Punzel (
Fr.-Escanaba, Mich.) added a sacrifice fly to score Regalado.
The Muskies added two insurance runs in the sixth.
Sam Martin (
Sr.-Milton, Wis.) reached on an error that drove in Punzel, and
Christopher Leopold (
Jr.-Bolingbrook, Ill.)-who finished with two of Lakeland's five hits in the game-also came around to score.
The Muskies also looked to be in good shape in the second game after following up Finlandia's early run with two in the bottom of the first and two more in the third for a 4-1 lead. Regalado doubled to right to score
Jody Harrison (
So.-Pontiac, Mich.) in the first and then came around to score when Leopold reached on an error, and Punzel delivered the team's first home run of the season in the third with a towering two-run blast to left field.
The Lions responded with three runs on just two hits in the top of the fourth to tie the game, though. Finlandia then pulled ahead in the sixth, again needing just one hit after scoring runs on an error and a sac fly. The Muskies had a chance in the seventh, putting two runners on with one out, but were unable to score.
Regalado and Punzel combined for all five of Lakeland's hits, with Regalado going 3-for-4 with two runs and Punzel also 2-for-4.
Mason Pechy (
Fr.-Diamond Bar, Calif.) started and allowed four runs (three earned) in four innings, while Banks came on and took the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit over three innings in relief.
The Muskies are back in action tomorrow when they travel to face Benedictine (Ill.) University in their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener, with the doubleheader in Lisle, Ill., beginning at noon.
