MONTGOMERY, Ill. – Lakeland University scored runs but had little success slowing down Aurora University in dropping both games of its opening Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday.
The Spartans won the first game 27-9 and won 14-10 in the second game to take both ends of the twinbill. Lakeland dropped to 6-10 overall on the season while the Spartans are 9-7 overall and 2-0 in conference.
The Muskies put up some big innings on the day, including four- and five-run frames in the first game plus a five-run inning in the second game. Lakeland even held a brief 4-2 lead in the opener, as
Sawyer Laffoon (
So.-Sheldon, Ill.) singled to drive in a run,
Chris Day (
Sr.-Victorville, Calif.) and
J.T. Cortinas (
Jr.-Chino Hills, Calif.) both hit doubles to drive in runs and
Bryce Backus (
So.-Kenosha, Wis.) scored on an error.
Aurora would score three times in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead, though, and the Spartans would score at least two runs in each of their first 11 innings at bat in the doubleheader before finally slowing their pace late. Aurora finished the day with 43 hits, including 26 in the first game plus 17 in the second.
The Muskies rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second game to tie, scoring three runs in the top of the third.
Sam Goodrum (
Fr.-Fort Collins, Colo.) hit a sacrifice fly to score Cortinas, and
Byron Lupian (
Jr.-Corona, Calif.) reached on an error that would allow both
Sean Gregorius (
So.-Germantown, Wis.) and
Rily Roberts (
So.-Chattanooga, Tenn.) to score.
Lakeland would later add six runs over the sixth and seventh innings, including Backus hitting a solo homer for his first collegiate home run in the sixth. Backus also added an RBI single as part of a five-run seventh, an inning where Day also walked with the bases loaded, Cortinas reached on an infield single to score a run and
Mikey Hernandez (
Jr.-Lennox, Calif.) also scored on a wild pitch. Gregorius also added a sacrifice fly in the inning to get the Muskies within 13-10.
Cortinas finished with five hits on the day, including going 3-for-4 in the first game and adding two hits in the second game. Backus and Day also both had three hits each.
Eli Watkins (
Jr.-Herrin, Ill.) had the best pitching outing of the day for Lakeland, throwing the final four innings in relief in the second game and allowing five hits and two runs with two strikeouts.
The Muskies are on the road again for their next game when they travel to face Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon for a doubleheader on Wednesday starting at noon.
