KENOSHA, Wis. – Carthage College's Collin Callahan drove in four runs and the Lakeland University baseball team was defeated 8-1 in its return to play Thursday afternoon at Carthage's Augie Schmidt Stadium.

The Muskies were held to six hits and lost in the single nine-inning non-conference game, their first game since returning from their spring break trip to Florida. Lakeland dropped to 6-7 overall heading into its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener on Saturday at Aurora University.

Carthage (11-4 overall) scored three times in the second and fifth innings on the way to building a 6-0 lead. Five of the Firebirds' first six runs were scored with two outs, including all three runs in the first inning coming after Lakeland starter Adrian Mercier (Jr.-Bonita, Calif.) recorded the first two outs of the inning. Two hits and three walks helped the hosts tally three times, including a two-run single by Callahan.

Carthage also scored three in the fifth, including a one-out solo home run by Callahan and then two more runs scoring later on a two-out, two-run single by Matt Felber. Lakeland scored its lone run in the top of the sixth when OakLee Spens (Sr.-South Weber, Utah) led off with an infield single, moved to second on passed ball and scored on a single by Sean Gregorius (Fr.-Germantown, Wis.).

Spens went 2-for-4 at the plate, the lone Muskie with more than one hit. Mercier pitched 4 2/3 innings and took the loss, allowing five hits and six runs (four earned) with two strikeouts and five walks. Six different relievers followed, with Eli Watkins (So.-Herrin, Ill.) and Thor Dunham (Jr.-Palisade, Minn.) faring best both throwing a scoreless inning.