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Box Score 2 LISLE, Ill. - The Wisconsin Lutheran College baseball team overcame a six-run deficit to defeat Benedictine University, 12-11, in game one of its doubleheader today at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine Sports Complex. BenU rebounded to win the nightcap, 4-1. With the victory, the Warriors remain alive for a spot in the six-team Northern Athletics Conference Tournament.
The Warriors jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener on a two-RBI single from Mitch Skarban (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran). Benedictine answered quickly, however, scoring eight runs over the next four innings to take a six-run lead. After the teams traded runs in the fifth, WLC plated three runs in the sixth on just one hit, highlighted by a two-run double by Matt Gowin (Cudahy, Wis./Cudahy).
The Eagles scored a single run in the sixth, and after a scoreless seventh, WLC erupted for a six-run eighth behind four hits and four walks. Gowin, Tyler Schoen (Marion, Wis./Marion),Doug Martin (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran), and Connor Vredeveld (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) each had run-scoring hits in the big inning.
WLC held off a BenU rally in the bottom of the ninth as it left the tying run on third base when the game ended.
Joey Hodkiewicz (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) pitched 4.0 innings of relief to pickup his third win of the season. Sam Mattheis (Rosendale, Wis./Laconia) come onto pitch the final 2.0 innings of relief to earn the save. Gowin, Schoen, Martin, and Aaron Roeseler (Watertown, Wis./Luther Preparatory) each had two of the Warriors' 12 hits to lead the charge offensively.
Cristian Ochoa gave up four earned runs in just 0.2 innings to take the loss in relief for the Eagles. Tim Hendricks had four hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored for Benedictine.
The Eagles plated an unearned run in the first inning of game two before the Warriors tied things up at 1-1 in the fourth on an RBI single from Martin. Benedictine, which put its lead-off runner of base in the first six innings, scored twice in the fifth and once in the sixth for the 4-1 lead.
WLC had more hits (8) than the Eagles (7), but was stymied by starter Chris Jordan. The southpaw earned his fifth win of the season after his complete game where he allowed just one run and stuck out two on just 99 pitches. Nick Karakosta and Ryan Mullin each had two hits in the game for the Eagles (27-8, 15-5 NAC).
Jacob Gustafson (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) allowed three earned runs in 1.1 innings of relief to suffer the loss on the mound for the Warriors. Mattheis and Martin each had two hits in the nightcap.
Wisconsin Lutheran (15-14, 9-11 NAC) hosts Maranatha Baptist Bible College (2-23, 0-18 NAC) in its final conference doubleheader on Senior Day next Saturday, May 4. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Neumann Family Field. WLC is one of four teams currently vying for the final two spots in the six-team postseason conference tournament.
