GLENDALE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College erupted for four runs in the eighth inning of game two to cap a come-from-behind 10-8 win over Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference-leading Milwaukee School of Engineering on Tuesday at MSOE Raiders Stadium, earning a split in the doubleheader after dropping game one 12-5.
GAME 1
The Warriors fell behind 5-0 after two innings as the Raiders capitalized on timely hitting and aggressive base running. MSOE extended its lead to 10-1 by the end of the sixth, but WLC rallied in the top of the seventh with a four-run outburst. Freshman
Colin Nigl (Neenah, Wis.) provided a big blast with a three-run homerun – his fourth collegiate round-tripper – to cap the inning after junior
Lucas Oswald (Muskego, Wis.) delivered a RBI single. Milwaukee School of Engineering added two runs in the eighth inning after five straight batters reached base after two outs.
Nigl finished 2-for-3 with a double, homer, three RBI, and two runs scored to lead Wisconsin Lutheran's offense. Senior
Noah Zaccanti (Geneva, Ill.) also added two hits and a run scored.
Jack Kalitowski, Christian Bosque, and JJ Jackson each had two hits and two RBI for the Raiders. Starter AJ Hamilton went the distance, allowing five runs on seven hits in a complete-game effort.
GAME 2
Trailing 8-6 entering the top of the eighth, the Warriors surged ahead behind a trio of clutch two-out hits. Nigl was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and came around to score on a double from freshman
Jacob Lorbecki (Richfield, Wis.). After a go-ahead two-run triple from sophomore
Colt Ratliff (Oxford, Ga.) scored freshman
Ryan Pierquet (Chilton, Wis.) and Zaccanti, sophomore
Ian Rintelman (Muskego, Wis.) followed with a RBI single to give WLC an insurance run and 10-8 lead.
Wisconsin Lutheran scored in four different frames and built an early 5-1 lead before MSOE rallied for seven runs across the fourth and fifth frames to briefly take control.
Zaccanti led the offensive charge with a 4-for-5 performance, including three RBI and a run scored. Lorbecki added four hits, drove in two runs, and scored once. Ratliff also finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs.
Freshman
Brett Gatch (Hometown, Ill.) improved to 3-0 after earning the win in relief, recording an inning-ending double-play in a critical seventh-inning jam. Oswald secured his second save of the season with the final 2.0 scoreless relief innings on the mound.
AJ Le went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for Milwaukee School of Engineering (22-15, 16-6 NACC).
The Warriors (14-22, 9-13 NACC), who remain alive in a three-team race for the final NACC Tournament spot, travel to Fond du Lac on Friday for a 12 p.m. NACC doubleheader with Marian (18-19, 12-10 NACC). Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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