Dominican Downs Wisconsin Lutheran In NACC Opener

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College dropped a pair of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference-opening games to Dominican on Sunday at Wintrust Field by scores of 3-2 and 9-5. 

The Warriors (1-12, 0-2 NACC) fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning of the opener on a one-out RBI single from the Stars (10-8, 3-1 NACC). WLC threatened in the second inning with hits from senior Danny Cain (Jackson, Wis.) and freshman Lucas Oswald (Muskego, Wis.), but had a pair of potential runs thrown out at the plate.

Wisconsin Lutheran evened the score at 1-1 in the fourth when senior Ryan Dominick (Bartlett, Ill.) scored on senior Carter Raabe's (Mukwonago, Wis.) sacrifice bunt.

DU grabbed the lead right back on a solo home run to leadoff its half of the fourth, and added an insurance run in the seventh on a sac fly.

The Warriors put runners on second and third with one out in the eighth, but plated just one run on a RBI groundout from junior Foster Engelhardt (North Richland Hills, Texas) that scored sophomore Elijah Shevey (Muskego, Wis.). WLC put the tying run on base in the ninth, but couldn't advance him into scoring position when the game came to an end.

Michaelis finished with two hits for Wisconsin Lutheran, while Dominick, Cain, and Oswald had one each. Sophomore Tyler Danko (Milwaukee, Wis.) gave up just three runs and fanned five over 6.2 innings on the mound.

Dominican jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game two after a RBI single in the second, and a two-out, two-run double in the third. Engelhardt got the Warriors on the scoreboard in the fourth with a RBI groundout that plated Michaelis. 

The Stars tacked on two more runs in the fifth with a run-scoring double and single for a 5-1 lead. Three straight RBI hits in the sixth inning from Engelhardt, Cain, and Raabe had WLC within a run at 5-4. 

DU strung together four consecutive one-out singles in the seventh inning that resulted in two runs for a 7-4 lead. Michaelis and Dominick leadoff the eighth inning with a single and a double, and Cain drove in Michaelis on a single up the middle for a two-run deficit. Wisconsin Lutheran stranded the tying run on base as the inning came to an end.

Dominican added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth inning on two hits for the final 9-5 result.

Michaelis and Cain led the Warriors with two hits each, while six others had one hit apiece. Both Cain and Engelhardt drove in two runs. Junior Andrew Muffler (Waukesha, Wis.) struck out six across 5.0 innings on the bump.

WLC is scheduled to travel to Concordia Wisconsin (8-6, 0-0 NACC) on Tuesday for a 12 p.m. NACC doubleheader. Wisconsin Lutheran will be designated as the home team. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.