Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHICAGO – Kejuan Harvey (So.-Elgin, Ill.) delivered a go-ahead two-out single in the top of the 13th inning that proved to be the game-winning hit as the Lakeland University baseball team came back from a big deficit to top Illinois Institute of Technology 9-8 Sunday afternoon.

The Muskies won the first game of what was supposed to be a doubleheader in their opening Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference two-game series of the season. The nearly five-hour first game went on until nearly 6 p.m., though, and without lights at IIT's Ed Glancy Field the second game was postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Lakeland (9-4 overall, 1-0 NACC) won for the second time in three days, this time coming back from a sizable deficit late. The Muskies trailed 6-1 entering the fifth inning and still were down 7-3 before scoring four times in the top of the eighth to tie the game.

The winning rally started with Hunter Frisk (Jr.-Manteca, Calif.) reaching on a leadoff walk to start the 13th inning, and he moved up to third after consecutive ground outs by Kellen Hodges (So.-Littleton, Colo.) and Zak Keegan (Fr.-Frankfort, Ill.). Kaylab Owings (So.-Bagdad, Ariz.) was then intentionally walked to bring up Harvey, and the reserve catcher delivered his first hit of the season to score Frisk with what proved to be the winning run.

The Scarlet Hawks (4-11 overall, 0-1 NACC) had one final chance in the bottom of the 13th, but Gio Ramirez (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) closed out a superb relief pitching performance with his fifth straight scoreless inning to earn the win. Ramirez allowed a one-out double but retired the final two batters to finish a five-inning stint allowing just three hits with two strikeouts.

The Muskies received a number of big hits late to come back and push the game to extra innings. Jack Banks (Sr.-Mountain View, Calif.) walked with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth to drive in a run and Tyler LaMack (So.-Pewaukee, Wis.) singled to score two more runs. Nathan Hemmerling (Jr.-Riverside, Calif.) then tied the game in the top of the ninth with a two-out double to score Owings and knot the game at 8-8.

LaMack finished going 3-for-5 with four runs batted in and Collin Schutz (Sr.-Saint Amant, La.) also added three hits. Hemmerling also scored three times in eight at bats, going 1-for-6 at the plate and also reaching twice on walks.

Hemmerling started on the mound but threw just one inning, allowing four runs before Alex Mikula (So.-Orland Park, Ill.) took over and allowed one run over three innings. Andrew Erbstoesser (So.-Union, Ill.) also pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing a pair of runs and Cole Dixon (Fr.-Newark, Calif.) retired the lone batter he faced in the eighth.

The Muskies are set to be back in action Monday when they travel to face Benedictine University for two games starting at 2 p.m.