FORT MYERS, Fla. – Quality pitching carried the Lakeland University baseball team for the second straight day as it swept a pair of games from Haverford (Pa.) College Sunday on the second day of its spring break trip at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Games.
The Muskies prevailed by scores of 7-6 and 5-1 for their second twinbill sweep in two days. Lakeland is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since it won its first four games in Fort Myers to open the 2012 season.
The Muskies pitching staff has played a big part in the good start, allowing just six earned runs through the four games. It received a pair of good starts again on Sunday, with
Connor Hilburn (
Jr.-Rancho Santo Domingo, Calif.) and
Jack Banks (
So.-Mountain View, Calif.) both pitching well.
Hilburn went six innings and allowed eight hits and five runs (three earned) with seven strikeouts. After giving up two runs in the first, he held the Fords scoreless until the fifth as Lakeland pulled out to a 7-2 lead.
Fellow junior
Travis Regalado (
Willcox, Ariz.) provided the offensive boost with two home runs over the first three innings, going 3-for-4 for the game with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Jacob Plucinski (
Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) also added a two-run single and
Ben Schecter (
Fr.-Woodland Hills, Calif.) also drove in a run as part of a four-run fourth inning.
Banks got the start in the second game and held Haverford to just a single unearned run in 5 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and struck out two before
Tayler Johann (
So.-Colleyville, Texas) pitched the final 1 1/3 and struck out two to record the save.
Regalado homered again, a two-run blast to get Lakeland on the board in the third inning, and
Drew Richard (
Sr.-Kieler, Wis.) and
Peyton Knoll (
Jr.-Linden, Mich.) also added two hits and one run driven in each.
Matt Benninghoff (
Jr.-Highland, Ind.) also added a hit in each game and also caught all seven innings of both games.
The Muskies return to play Monday when they take on Wilmington (Ohio) College for a single nine-inning game at 8 a.m. Central time.