Baseball Hammers Northland, Falls To Beloit On Opening Day In Illinois

RANTOUL, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College split its opening day doubleheader with Northland and Beloit on Saturday at Rantoul Family Sports Complex. The Warriors scored early and often in a 22-2 win over the Lumberjacks before falling 18-4 to the Buccaneers in a pair of seven-inning contests.

WLC plated eight first-inning runs on just three hits against NC, highlighted by a bases-clearing double from senior Noah Zaccanti (Geneva, Ill.) and a two-run single from sophomore Ian Rintelman (Muskego, Wis.). Freshman Colin Nigl (Neenah, Wis.) homered in back-to-back frames as Wisconsin Lutheran led 14-1 after three innings. The Warriors added four runs in the fourth, a single tally in the fifth, and three more in the sixth to account for the 22-run, 19-hit outburst.

Rintelman and Zaccanti each went 4-for-5 with four RBI and four runs, while driving in three and five runs, respectively. Nigl and sophomore Colt Ratliff (Oxford, Ga.) each had three hits and three runs scored. Nigl drove in six runs, while Ratliff had three RBI. Senior Tyler Danko (Milwaukee, Wis.) pitched 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits while fanning six. Freshman Willie Lewis (Oconomowoc, Wis.) struckout the side in order in the seventh. 

Tyler Murphy went 2-for-4 with a run scored for Northland (0-2).

Rintelman gave the Warriors an early 2-0 lead with a two-run homerun in the top of the first inning against BC. Beloit evened the contest in the third with a pair of unearned runs. WLC went back in front 3-2 in the fourth when Nigl reached on an error that scored senior Nolan Hodgins (Caledonia, Wis.). The Buccaneers broke the game open in the fifth with eight runs, but seven were unearned. Rintelman leadoff the sixth inning with a solo shot for his second blast of the game and the final tally for Wisconsin Lutheran. BC put up another eight-spot in the sixth for the final 14-run margin.

Rintelman finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs. Five other players added one hit apiece.

Nolan Tomsyck went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored for Beloit (2-0). Ben Schweit fanned 10 over 6.0 innings on the mound.

The Warriors wrap up their weekend in Illinois tomorrow with a single non-conference game against Loras (3-3) at 11 a.m. at Rantoul Family Sports Complex.