PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Sabrina Wickman (Sr.-Quinnesec, Mich.) got out of a rundown to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Lakeland University softball team a good start to its Senior Day with a 3-2 win over Wisconsin Lutheran College in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors gained a measure of revenge in a second extra-inning game, scoring eight times in the top of the eighth for a wild 19-11 win. The two teams split the first two games of their key Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference North Division weekend series, with a second twinbill set for Sunday starting at noon in Milwaukee at WLC.

Wickman was at third base for Lakeland (7-18-1 overall, 6-8 NACC North) with one out in the bottom of the eighth when Leah Binsfeld (Sr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) hit a chopper handled by third baseman Lexi Martin, who threw home and caught Wickman halfway between third and home. Wickman retreated slightly, but broke for home as soon as catcher Charolette Ropas threw back to Martin, and on the next throw was able to knock the ball away from pitcher Jena Almodovar covering at home to score the winning run.

It was part of big days at the plate for senior twins Sabrina and Sydney Wickman (Sr.-Quinnesec, Mich.). Sabrina Wickman finished 2-for-3 in the first game with two runs scored and also was 4-for-5 in the second game with two more runs scored and a run batted in, while Sydney Wickman went 4-for-4 in the second game with an RBI and two runs scored and also added several highlight catches in left field on the day.

A briskly played first game with eight innings played in one hour, 30 minutes was closely contested throughout. The Muskies scored the first two runs in the third on back-to-back RBI singles by Cheyenne Mathas (Jr.-St. John, Ind.) and Juliana Hall (So.-Portage, Ind.), but Wisconsin Lutheran came back with two in the top of the fifth to tie.

The winning rally saw Sabrina Wickman single and Mathas reach on an error before Hall bunted both up a base, setting the stage for the deciding play with Binsfeld at the plate. The senior pitcher also picked up the win with an eight-inning complete game, allowing seven hits and two runs (one earned) for her third victory of the season.

The second game saw just about everything, including a 40-minute rain delay in the top of the sixth inning. Runs came early and often, and both teams had moments where they appeared to be in the driver's seat before the opponent responded.

Wisconsin Lutheran (11-21 overall, 4-10 NACC North) held leads of 6-2 and 8-5 before the Muskies scored six times in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead. Hannah Hornsby (Jr.-Brookville, Ind.) tripled to score a run, Emyli Kreiser (So.-Greenfield, Wis.) delivered a pinch-hit single to score Hornsby, and Hannah Nelson (Fr.-Loves Park, Ill.) hit her first collegiate home run with a three-run blast to left-center to give Lakeland the lead.

A light rain turned heavy in the next inning, though, and WLC scored twice in deteriorating conditions before the teams were called off the field with two outs in the top of the sixth. Play resumed after a 40-minute delay, and the Warriors quickly tied it, and the game went to extra innings. Wisconsin Lutheran quickly took control in the eighth, erupting for eight runs on the strength of seven singles and two walks, including two-run singles by Martin and Katie Scott.

The Muskies outhit the Warriors 18-16 in the nightcap but committed five errors and also notched just two hits after the rain delay, with singles by Sydney Wickman and Erika Rosberg (Fr.-South Elgin, Ill.). Hornsby and Ariana Brown (So.-Beloit, Wis.) both also finished with two hits each in the game and Hall knocked in two runs.