PLYMOUTH, Wis. –
Noah Leopold (
So.-Appleton, Wis.) and
OakLee Spens (
Jr.-Burbank, Calif.) both drove in four runs on the day and the Lakeland University baseball team cruised past Maranatha Baptist University for a doubleheader sweep Tuesday afternoon.
The Muskies defeated the Sabercats by scores of 9-3 and 19-0 in the non-conference matchup on a beautiful spring day where temperatures pushed near the high 70s, nearly doubling the temperature of the teams' meeting a year earlier that was played in 42-degree conditions with heavy winds. Lakeland improved to 4-15 overall on the season and has won four games in a row after earning its first wins of the season Saturday against Concordia University Chicago.
The Muskies won in a different manner in both games, relying on an opening outburst in the first game before scoring in every inning of the second contest.
Lakeland tallied nine times in the bottom of the first of the opener, taking advantage of three Maranatha errors.
Mike Schroer (
Jr.-Kenosha, Wis.) also hit a two-run single and
Lane Sobieski (
Sr.-Berlin, Wis.) drove in runs with a pair of hits in the inning, with a run-scoring double his first time up and then an RBI single his second time around.
Chris Day (
Fr.-Victorville, Calif.) also added an infield single to drive in a run and Spens got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly to score Day. The Muskies would not score again as Sabercats starter Judson Martin settled in and finished with five scoreless innings, but pitchers
Luke Pecore (
Fr.-Bowler, Wis.) and
Brody Fay (
So.-Surprise, Ariz.) led a solid pitching effort that limited Maranatha to seven hits and just three unearned runs in the fourth inning.
Pecore started and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing three hits with four strikeouts and receiving credit for the win after departing with a 9-0 lead. Fay came on in relief in the fourth and threw the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two to earn the save.
Lakeland 's offense was more consistent in the second game, starting with three runs in the first inning, four in the second and eventually seven runs in the fourth. The scoring started in the first when Leopold singled with one out and scored on an error, and
Zak Keegan (
So.-Frankfort, Ill.) later hit a two-run single up the middle to make it 3-0.
Leopold singled in a run, Spens doubled to score two and Sobieski added an RBI ground out in the second inning, and
Dominic Davi (
Jr.-New Lenox, Ill.) recorded his first hit as a Muskie with a double to drive in a run in the third. The Muskies blew the game wide open in the fourth with Davi getting an RBI after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Leopold hitting a two-run double to center, Spens sending a run in with a bunt single and
Kyle Gould (
So.-Crete, Ill.) cleared the bases with a three-run double.
Kejuan Harvey (
Jr.-Elgin, Ill.) added a pair of RBIs later with a single to drive in a run plus a sacrifice fly.
Ramiro Hernandez (
Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) also added a run-scoring single.
Brian Biggs (
Sr.-Romeoville, Ill.) picked up his first collegiate win on the mound, allowing two hits with five strikeouts.
Alex Mikula (
Jr.-Orland Park, Ill.) and
Brady Coleman (
Fr.-Brown Deer, Wis.) covered the final three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
Lakeland is back to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play Saturday when it hosts St. Norbert College for a pair of games starting at noon.
