FORT MYERS, Fla. (WLCSports.com) – Geneva scored three runs in the sixth inning and held off a late rally by Wisconsin Lutheran College to defeat the Warriors 6-5 in a non-conference game on Friday at Terry Park in the final game of the 2026 Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.
The Golden Tornadoes jumped out to an early lead with two runs on three hits in the first inning on a RBI groundout and sacrifice fly. GC added another run in the third on an RBI single to push the advantage to 3-0.
WLC cut into the deficit in the fourth. Sophomore
Connor Zorn (Huntley, Ill.) doubled to put two runners in scoring position before senior
Oliver Lopeztello (Chicago, Ill.) lined a single to center field that scored Zorn and senior
Zach Alburg (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), trimming the margin to 3-2.
Geneva answered with a three-run sixth inning with an RBI double, single, and wild pitch to extend the lead to 6-2.
Wisconsin Lutheran rallied in the seventh inning with five hits. Junior
Ian Rintelman (Muskego, Wis.) delivered a two-run single to score freshman
Will Winiarz (Chicago, Ill.) and senior
Eli Michaelis (Wauwatosa, Wis.), and Alburg followed with an RBI single that brought home sophomore
Ryan Pierquet (Chilton, Wis.) to pull the Warriors within 6-5.
WLC put the tying run at third in the ninth after singles by Rintelman and junior
Colt Ratliff (Oxford, Ga.), but the Golden Tornadoes induced a game-ending flyout to center field to hold for the win.
Michaelis, Pierquet, Rintelman, and Alburg finished with two hits each for Wisconsin Lutheran. Rintelman and Lopeztello also drove in two runs apiece. Senior starter
Jordan Bierdemann (Franklin, Wis.) struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings, sophomore
Brett Gatch (Hometown, Ill.) tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and sophomore
Aiden Migneault (Bettendorf, Iowa) added a scoreless ninth.
Bradley McGuire and Jonathan Dysinger led GC (7-2) with three hits apiece. Ryan Conover earned the win with two runs allowed over 5.1 innings. Kaden Peoples pitched the final 2.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts to pickup the save.
Wisconsin Lutheran (3-7) returns to action Thursday, March 19, when it travels to Carroll (7-5) for a 3 p.m. first pitch. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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