LISLE, Ill. – Sturdy pitching and a three-run third inning made the difference as the Lakeland University baseball team opened Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play with a 3-2 win over Benedictine (Ill.) University Sunday afternoon.

Connor Hilburn (So.-Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Jeremy Surowiec (So.-Lowell, Ind.) and Travis Regalado (So.-Willcox, Ariz.) combined to do the job on the mound as the Muskies won the first game of a doubleheader. The Eagles bounced back for a 7-2 win in the nightcap to gain the split.

Hilburn pitched 6 1/3 innings and scattered 12 hits while striking out eight in earning his second win of the season. He received help from Surowiec, who allowed only a single hit with a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings in relief, and from Regalado, who closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

The pitchers received all the support they'd need in the fourth inning, when Lakeland (5-9 overall) broke a scoreless tie with three runs. Regalado started the frame with the second of his three hits, Brandon Punzel (Fr.-Escanaba, Mich.) walked and Christopher Leopold (Jr.-Bolingbrook, Ill.) reached on a bunt single.

Drew Richard (Jr.-Kieler, Wis.) then walked to force in a run, and Cameron Sharp (So.-Pflugerville, Texas) singled to make it 2-0. Jack Banks (Fr.-Mountain View, Calif.) added a sacrifice fly to send home Leopold and make it 3-0.

Benedictine scored a run in the bottom of the fourth and then added a second in the seventh. The Eagles looked poised for a big inning, starting off with three straight hits and eventually loading the bases with a run in and one out. Surowiec came on in relief, though, and struck out Erik Callaghan and then induced Brandon Gipson into a fly out.

Lakeland also scored first in the second game, getting on the board in the third when Kenny Pekarek (Sr.-Sagola, Mich.) doubled to drive in Christian Arthurs (Fr.-North Fond du Lac, Wis.). Benedictine (9-8 overall, 2-2 NACC) came back with four runs in the bottom of the inning, though, and added another in the fourth and two more in the sixth.

Arthurs, Banks and Sharp all had two hits each in the second game, with Sharp driving in the Muskies' second run in the sixth. Michael Austin (Fr.-Glendale, Ariz.) pitched a complete game in defeat and allowed nine hits and seven runs (five earned) with two strikeouts.

Lakeland is back in action Thursday when it hosts Maranatha Baptist University for a non-conference doubleheader at 1 p.m.