PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Lakeland University received contributions up and down the roster and scored 34 runs over two games in sweeping Maranatha Baptist University in a non-conference baseball doubleheader on a cold and windy Thursday afternoon.
The Muskies rolled to a 22-2 win in the first game and then pulled away late to defeat the Sabercats 12-3 in the second game of the seven-inning doubleheader, which was played on a 42-degree day with sustained 30-mph winds and gusts up to 50 mph. Lakeland is now 13-8 overall on the season.
The Muskies scored ten times in the second inning of the opener and substituted early and often throughout the first game. Fourteen different players collected at least one hit and a total of 18 players scored at least one run.
Hunter Frisk (
Jr.-Manteca, Calif.),
Jack Banks (
Sr.-Mountain View, Calif.),
Austin Palmer (
Fr.-Oro Valley, Ariz.) and
Landen Sobieski (
So.-Berlin, Wis.) all posted two hits each, and Sobieski,
Jay Cournoyer (
Fr.-Myakka City, Fla.),
Robert Lopez (
Fr.-Willcox, Ariz.) and
Kyle Wallace (
Sr.-Willard, Mo.) all posted their first collegiate hit. Banks drove in three runs on a pair of RBI doubles, Wallace also doubled to drive in two, and Frisk, Palmer and
Lane Sobieski (
So.-Berlin, Wis.) all added two RBIs each.
Hunter Bukantis (
So.-Ovid, Mich.) also drove in a pair of runs with two bases-loaded walks.
Lakeland scored all of its runs in just three innings, with ten runs in the second inning, eight in the third and four in the fifth. The Muskies pounded out 18 hits in all and Wallace picked up the win in relief, allowing 2 2/3 innings and allowing five runs and one unearned run with five strikeouts.
Maranatha Baptist (0-11 overall) provided a stiffer challenge in the second game, including taking an early lead after leadoff hitter David Cripps walked and came around to score on an error. Lakeland tied it in the bottom of the first when Banks reached on a fielder's choice while a run scored, but the score remained 1-1 into the bottom of the fourth until
Lane Sobieski delivered a two-run double to score Frisk and
Kellen Hodges (
So.-Littleton, Colo.).
The Sabercats scored a run in the top of the fifth to raw within 3-2 before the Muskies blew the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the inning.
Collin Schutz (
Sr.-Saint Amant, La.) singled twice in the inning, including a leadoff hit and an RBI single later.
Zak Keegan (
Fr.-Frankfort, Ill.),
Nathan Hemmerling (
Jr.-Riverside, Calif.), Banks and
Kejuan Harvey (
So.-Elgin, Ill.) also all added RBI singles in the inning.
Schutz finished 3-for-3 with a run scored and three stolen bases in the second game.
Sam Wright (
Sr.-Geneva, Ill.) got the win, starting and pitching five innings while allowing three hits and two unearned runs with seven strikeouts.
Lakeland returns to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play on Saturday when it travels to face St. Norbert College in De Pere for a doubleheader starting at noon.
