Baseball Blasts Lakeland In Conference Opener

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - The Wisconsin Lutheran College baseball team erupted for 31 runs over 16 innings on its way to sweeping Lakeland in its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference-opening doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Muskie Field. The Warriors' 10-3 start is their best in program history.

THE BASICS

• Final Scores: Wisconsin Lutheran 13, Lakeland 3; Wisconsin Lutheran 18, Lakeland 4 (7 Inn.)
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (10-3, 2-0 NACC), Lakeland (4-12, 0-2 NACC)
• Location: Muskie Field, Sheboygan, Wis. | Attendance: 74

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warriors took an early 1-0 lead in the first off Brett Youngbeck's (Brown Deer, Wis./Brown Deer) RBI single that scored Sam Mattheis (Rosendale, Wis./Laconia). WLC's lead was short lived, however, as Lakeland's Bryce Skelton belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning.
• Wisconsin Lutheran exploded for eight runs on nine hits in the second to take a commanding lead. Josiah Boucher (Menasha, Wis./Menasha), Aaron Roeseler (Watertown, Wis./Luther Preparatory), Mattheis, Youngbeck, Brandon Mantz (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran), Zack Skog (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire), and Korben Biersack (Greenfield, Wis./Greenfield) each had run-scoring hits in the frame for WLC. Seven of the runs were unearned as the Muskies committed three errors in the inning.
• WLC added a single run in the fifth on a Roeseler RBI single, two more in the eighth on RBI hits from Jake Grollo (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) and Boucher, and a final tally in the ninth on Youngbeck's RBI double.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Wisconsin Lutheran jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second following back-to-back RBI singles from Connor Vredeveld (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) and Boucher.
• Brock Vredeveld's (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) sac fly in the third gave WLC a 4-0 lead before Lakeland got two runs back on consecutive RBI doubles.
• The Warriors' offense again erupted for seven runs on six hits in the fourth, highlighted by Mantz's two-run bomb over the left field fence. Mantz's fifth inning sac fly gave Wisconsin Lutheran a comfortable 12-2 advantage.
• Lakeland scored its final two runs in the fifth on a RBI groundout and single to right.
• Wisconsin Lutheran's run barrage wasn't over yet as it scored six runs in the sixth on just two hits. WLC drew six walks and Mantz's two-RBI single highlighted the frame for the Warriors. Wisconsin Lutheran won the game after 7.0 innings due to run-rule.

QUICK HITS

• The Warriors pounded out 19 hits in the opener as Youngbeck, Grollo, and Boucher had three hits each. Youngbeck drove in three runs and Mattheis scored three times.
• Joey Hodkiewicz (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) improved to 2-0 after tossing his first complete game of the season. Hodkiewicz scattered seven hits while fanning six and walking just one.
• A.J. Dollinger went 3-for-4 and Skelton drove in three runs to lead Lakeland. Luke Mandich took the loss after allowing 10 runs, just three earned, in 4.1 innings.
• Wisconsin Lutheran finished with 15 hits in game two as Roeseler (4-for-6) and Mantz (3-for-3) highlighted the offensive production. Roeseler scored three runs and Mantz drove in five and also scored twice.
• Travis Stahulak (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) earned his second win after striking out 12 and allowing four runs on six hits in 7.0 innings pitched.
• Brady Callahan went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI for the Muskies. Drew Richard lasted 5.0 innings and gave up 12 runs on 12 hits to suffer the loss.

UP NEXT

• Wisconsin Lutheran will face Marian (3-8, 1-1 NACC) in a NACC doubleheader Monday beginning at 2 p.m. at Herr-Baker Field in Fond du Lac. The games were originally scheduled for Sunday, but have been moved to Monday due to the forecasted weather. The Warriors will serve as the home team for both contests.