Box Score MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Lutheran College baseball team pitched out of numerous jams and used a game-saving catch by Connor Vredeveld (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) in the eighth inning to pull out a 4-3 non-conference victory over Carroll Tuesday night at Neumann Family Field.
WLC (13-7) pushed a run across in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Sam Mattheis (Rosendale, Wis./Laconia) walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Brett Youngbeck's (Brown Deer, Wis./Brown Deer) RBI single scored Mattheis to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
Carroll (6-9) briefly grabbed the lead in the fourth inning. After loading the bases with one out, Ben Turner hit into a fielder's choice to force out the runner coming home. However, the throw to first to attempt to complete a double play was dropped, allowing Dylan Grove to score on the error. With runners on the corners and two outs, the Pioneers pulled off a double steal, with Clayton Schmitt scoring to give Carroll a 2-1 advantage.
The Warriors responded in the bottom of the frame, as Zack Skog (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) stroked a two-run single to right-center to put WLC ahead 3-2. WLC added an unearned run on a fielding error in the seventh to make it 4-2.
The Pioneers loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth inning against relief pitcher Brandon Mantz (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran). After Grove popped out, Schmitt was hit by a pitch to bring home Eric Keenan and cut the deficit to 4-3. With two outs and the bases still loaded, Josh Evenson sent a sinking liner to center that likely would have given Carroll the lead. However, Vredeveld made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning and keep the Warriors in front.
Garrick Day (Elk Mound, Wis./Elk Mound) pitched around a two-out single in the ninth to collect his first collegiate save. Nolan Friend (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) (2-0) was credited with the victory as he pitched scoreless fifth and sixth innings. Andrew Iverson (Janesville, Wis./Craig) also pitched a scoreless frame in relief of starter Travis Stahulak (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger), who gave up two unearned runs in 4.0 innings for a no-decision.
Mattheis was 2-for-3 with two runs, Korben Biersack (Greenfield, Wis./Greenfield) was 2-for-3, and Skog was 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead WLC.
Carl Formento (0-3) allowed four runs, three earned, in 7.0 innings and took the loss for the Pioneers. Alex Olson was 3-for-5 with a double for Carroll and Alex Elenteny was 2-for-4.
Wisconsin Lutheran (13-7, 4-2 NACC) travels to Benedictine (8-10, 5-1 NACC) for a NACC doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. Links to live stats and video will be available at wlcsports.com.
