LISLE, Ill. – Lakeland University heated up at the plate in the second game but Benedictine University also stayed hot and completed a doubleheader sweep Thursday in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference baseball play.
The Eagles won by scores of 12-0 and 12-6 in a twinbill postponed multiple times in the past three weeks. The games were eventually moved from Lakeland's home field to Benedictine's, with the Muskies serving as the home team on the scoreboard for both games.
Lakeland (4-12 overall, 0-6 NACC) was shut down on just six hits in the shutout loss in the first game, as the Eagles scored three times in the first inning and six more in the second to cruise.
The Muskies were considerably better at the plate in the second game, staying close even as the Eagles (14-5 overall, 6-0 NACC) also hammered out 17 hits and scored in seven different innings.
Lakeland answered Benedictine's two second inning runs with one of its own in the bottom of the frame as
Matt Benninghoff (
Jr.-Highland, Ind.) reached on an error to score
Alberto Oliveras (
Fr.-Fort Myers, Fla.). The Muskies also matched the Eagles' run in the third with their own as
Travis Regalado (
Jr.-Willcox, Ariz.) reached on a fielder's choice, driving in
Drew Richard (
Sr.-Kieler, Wis.).
Lakeland got another run in the sixth as
Jacob Plucinski (
Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) led off the inning with a solo home run, and then scored three more in the seventh.
Connor Hilburn (
Jr.-Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) doubled to drive in two runs, and Regalado also added an RBI double to get the Muskies within 10-6.
Hilburn finished with three hits and Regalado, Richard and
Ben Schecter (
Fr.-Woodland Hills, Calif.) all added two hits each as Lakeland rapped out 12 hits. Benedictine finished with 17 hits, though, and totaled 30 hits for the day over the two games.
Hilburn and Regalado also had two hits each in the opener to finish with five and four hits, respectively, for the day. Hilburn took the loss on the mound in the first game, while starter
Christopher Leopold (
Sr.-Bolingbrook, Ill.) was the losing pitcher in the second game after throwing 4 1/3 innings.
Jimmy McLaughlin led Benedictine with three hits in both games and also scored five runs total and drove in two. Tyler Woynerowski also drove in five runs.
The Muskies are in action again Saturday when they travel to face Concordia University Wisconsin for a twinbill starting at noon in Mequon.
