PLYMOUTH, Wis. –
OakLee Spens (
Sr.-South Weber, Utah) set a new school record for career doubles, providing a highlight on an otherwise tough day as the Lakeland University baseball team was defeated by Rockford University twice Saturday afternoon in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play.
The Regents won the opening game 11-2 and held on for an 8-5 victory in the second game to sweep the doubleheader and extend the Muskies' losing skid. Lakeland has now lost seven in a row and is 10-19 overall and 4-10 in the NACC.
Spens doubled to lead off the eighth inning in the opening game for his ninth double of the season and 44th of his career. He broke the 14-year old former program record of 43 doubles previously held by David Novak (2008-11).
Spens later scored when
Tucker Gegenfurtner (
So.-Onalaska, Wis.) reached on a fielder's choice, but it was one of few high points in the first game as the Muskies were held to five hits, including two through the first six innings.
Chris Day (
Jr.-Victorville, Calif.) hit an RBI double an inning earlier to score
Caleb Sumsion (
Jr.-Dayton, Nev.) and get Lakeland on the board, but by that time Rockford (15-11 overall, 5-7 NACC) had built a 7-1 lead.
Adrian Rapier pitched eight innings and allowed five hits while striking out six in earning the win for the Regents.
Thor Dunham (
Jr.-Palisade, Minn.) took the loss, allowing seven hits and six runs in three innings, while
Kaden Kowalewsky (
So.-Madison, Wis.) pitched three scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out two.
The Muskies took their only lead of the day in the second inning of the nightcap, as
Sean Gregorius (
Fr.-Germantown, Wis.) led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Dylan Costello (
Jr.-New Berlin, Wis.) and scored on a single by
Landen Sobieski (
Sr.-Berlin, Wis.). Rockford answered with three runs in the top of the third, though, and never trailed again.
The second game was one of missed opportunities for Lakeland, which stranded 12 runners in the game. The Muskies scored single runs in five different innings, but also stranded seven runners in those innings, including two runners each stranded in the seventh, eighth and ninth.
Lakeland closed within 6-3 in the seventh inning when Spens led off with a single and came around to score on a double by
Logan South (
Fr.-Oswego, Ill.), but the Muskies stranded runners at second and third. The Muskies then loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth after Costello walked, Sobieski hit a double and
Landon Mani (
So.-Germantown, Wis.) was hit by a pitch, but could get in just one run on a sacrifice fly by Spens to make it 8-4. Sobieski then delivered another double with two outs in the ninth to drive in a run and cut the Regents' lead to 8-5, but the game ended on a strikeout with runners at second and third.
Sobieski finished with three hits in the second game and Spens added two hits as part of a three-hit day. Gegenfurtner took the loss on the mound, pitching five innings and allowing nine hits and five runs.
The Muskies are home again Tuesday when they face St. Norbert College for a doubleheader starting at noon.
