PLYMOUTH, Wis. –
Kellen Hodges (
Sr.-Littleton, Colo.) came almost as close to putting a team on his back as could be, helping the Lakeland University baseball team nearly erase a 10-run deficit before falling to Carroll University 16-15 Thursday afternoon in the opening game of a non-conference doubleheader.
Hodges had a career performance in the opening game both hitting and pitching, but the Muskies finished the day with two losses after Carroll also won the second game 17-2 in seven innings. Lakeland dropped to 6-27 overall while the Pioneers improved to 15-18 overall.
Hodges went 4-for-6 at the plate in the first game, tying his career best for hits in a game and setting a career high with five runs batted in. The senior had hits in his final four at bats, including a two-run single in the sixth and an RBI single in the seventh as the Muskies worked their way back from being down 16-6 going into the bottom of the sixth.
Hodges also provided a clutch pitching performance that played a big role in Lakeland's rally. Normally the Muskies center fielder, Hodges took the mound for just the second time in his collegiate career and first time since throwing one inning two years ago, and he provided much-needed innings and more. Hodges threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and three runs, all unearned in the sixth, and struck out three. He put up zeroes on the scoreboard in the final three innings after the Pioneers had scored at least one run in each of the first six innings.
Lakeland hammered out a season-high 20 hits in the first game, with
OakLee Spens (
Sr.-South Weber, Utah),
Zak Keegan (
Jr.-Frankfort, Ill.),
Dylan Costello (
So.-New Berlin, Wis.) and
Dane Nickolai (
Fr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) all also having big games with three hits each. Costello also had two sacrifice flies in the game, including one in the eighth for his third RBI of the game to cut the Pioneers' lead to 16-15.
The Muskies still had the bases loaded with two outs in the eighth and had worn out six Carroll pitchers to that point before righthander Connor Nolen was brought on. A fire-throwing senior who came in with 36 strikeouts in 21 innings and a .149 opponents' batting average, Nolen retired four straight Lakeland hitters to close the game and pick up his sixth save of the season.
Nickolai also drove in a season-best three runs while going 3-for-5, and Spens also went 3-for-5 and scored four runs. The Muskies outhit the Pioneers 20-15, but seven walks in the first three innings allowed Carroll to build an early 10-1 lead.
Carroll used a home run and several big hits to break open the second game, which was close for the first four innings before the Pioneers pulled away late, including 12 runs in the final two innings.
Francesco Scalia (
Sr.-Visalia, Calif.) made his first collegiate start in the second game and started off well, striking out four in the first 2 2/3 innings. A hit batter and a double by Dalen Lamberson got Carroll on the board, though, and Lane Scott followed with a two-run homer to make it 3-0.
Spens led off the bottom of the third with a double and scored after two errors on a failed pickoff attempt at second base. The Pioneers added two more in the fifth, though, including an RBI double by Joey Appino, and broke the game open with seven runs in the sixth.
Scalia finished going 5 1/3 innings and allowing five hits and seven runs (five earned) with five strikeouts. The Muskies' offense from the first game went missing in the second, though, generating just five hits. Keegan had three of the five hits, going 3-for-4 and driving in the second run.
Lakeland continues a busy week on Saturday when it hosts Concordia University Chicago for a conference doubleheader beginning at noon.
