Baseball Splits With League-Leading Benedictine

LISLE, Ill. – The Wisconsin Lutheran College baseball team split a pair of NACC games with Benedictine Saturday afternoon at The Sports Complex, losing game one 6-2 and winning game two 8-6.

THE BASICS

• Final Scores: Benedictine 6, Wisconsin Lutheran 2; Wisconsin Lutheran 8, Benedictine 6
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (15-7, 4-4 NACC), Benedictine (11-12, 6-2 NACC)
• Location: The Sports Complex, Lisle, Ill. | Attendance: 168

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• After a scoreless first inning, the Eagles opened the scoring with one run from a fielder's choice and another from an RBI double.
• The Eagles scored two more runs in the fifth and capped their scoring with a two-run homerun in the sixth.
• The Warriors earned two runs back in the seventh when Connor Vredeveld (Waterloo, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) doubled in Korben Biersack (Greenfield, Wis./Greenfield) and Brock Vredeveld (Waterloo, Wis. /Lakeside Lutheran) to make the score 6-2. 
• The Warriors' rally ended with a pair of runners on base after BenU's third baseman robbed Aaron Roeseler (Watertown, Wis./Luther Preparatory) by making a diving grab to his left to save two runs.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• Brandon Mantz (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) got the Warriors off to a hot start in the first, singling in Sam Mattheis (Rosendale, Wis /Laconia) and Roeseler.
• Connor Vredeveld, Mattheis, and Brett Youngbeck (Brown Deer, Wis./Brown Deer) each batted in one run in the second to extend the Warriors' lead to 5-0. 
• The Eagles responded with three runs of their own in the top of the third to close within two runs.
• Brock Vredeveld opened the bottom of the third with a triple and was batted in by a Biersack ground out.
• The Warriors scored again in the fourth off of Mantz's third RBI to send Connor Vredeveld home. 
• Roeseler plated another run in the fourth to cap the scoring.
• The Eagles rallied in the sixth, scoring three runs but the Warriors were able to hold them off to end the game 8-6.

QUICK HITS

• Connor Vredeveld collected both RBIs in the game one loss to Benedictine.
• Jaime Paumen (Glencoe, Minn./Silver-Lake) pitched a complete game in game one taking the loss for the Warriors. 
• Brandon Clark homered and had three RBIs for Benedictine in the opener.
• Cody Netzel won his third game after tossing 6.2 innings and striking out four.
• The Warriors scored eight runs on 11 hits in game two, versus 12 hits and six runs for Benedictine.
• Joey Hodkiewicz (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) notched his fourth win of the season on 8.0 innings pitched. He fanned five while walking two.
• Mantz came in for the ninth for his first save. He also led the Warriors with three RBIs in game two.
• Connor Vredeveld, Mattheis, Biersack, and Youngbeck each had one RBI for the Warriors in game two of the doubleheader.
• Roeseler led the team with three hits off of five at-bats in the nightcap.
• Tim Hendricks and Max Oppenheimer each had three hits and two runs scored for BenU. 
• Mike Spalla took the loss for the Eagles in game two, giving up nine hits and eight runs in 4.0 innings pitched.

UP NEXT

• Wisconsin Lutheran will face Concordia Chicago (14-12, 6-2 NACC) in a NACC doubleheader Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at Cougar Field in River Forest, Ill. Live stats for both games will be available at wlcsports.com.