MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College split a non-conference doubleheader with Cornell College on Saturday at Ash Park Field, winning the opener, 10-1, before dropping game two, 12-7.
Game 1: Wisconsin Lutheran 10, Cornell College 1
The Warriors (4-8) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when junior
Ian Rintelman (Muskego, Wis.) delivered an RBI single to score freshman
Dawsen Burington (Appleton, Wis.).
WLC created separation in the fifth, plating five runs on three hits. Rintelman sparked the rally with a two-run double down the left-field line. Sophomore
Connor Zorn (Huntley, Ill.) followed with an RBI groundout, and senior
Oliver Lopeztello (Chicago, Ill.) capped the inning with a two-run single to extend the lead to 6-0.
The Rams (7-7) got on the board in the seventh with an RBI single. Wisconsin Lutheran answered with a run in the eighth and three more in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
Rintelman led the Warriors offensively, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Lopeztello added two RBIs, while freshman
Will Winiarz (Chicago, Ill.) drove in a run and scored once. Burington scored twice and collected two hits, and junior
Colt Ratliff (Oxford, Ga.) reached base four times with a hit and two walks.
On the mound, junior
Cody Fredrick (Oconomowoc, Wis.) earned the win, allowing one run on five hits over 6.1 innings while striking out seven. Sophomore
Aiden Migneault (Bettendorf, Iowa) closed out the final 2.2 innings without allowing a hit.
Game 2: Cornell College 12, Wisconsin Lutheran 7
CC scored in each of the first two innings and broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning to take a 7-0 lead. A fielding error helped spark the rally before a bases-clearing double down the right-field line capped the inning.
The Warriors were held scoreless through seven innings by Cornell starter Logan Gannon, who scattered four hits and struck out eight over seven shutout frames.
WLC broke through in the eighth. Burington, junior
Caleb Lott (Peoria, Ill.), and junior
Jaxon Raabe (Mukwonago, Wis.) each reached to load the bases before Lopeztello cleared them with a three-run double to right-center, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
The Rams answered immediately with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. A wild pitch brought in one run before a pair of two-run hits extended the lead to 12-3.
Wisconsin Lutheran mounted a late rally in the ninth, scoring four runs. Burington drew a bases-loaded walk, Lott reached on an error that plated two more, and Lopeztello added his fourth RBI of the game with a groundout, but the comeback fell short.
Lopeztello led the Warriors offensively with two hits and four RBIs, while Lott added a hit and an RBI. WLC finished with eight hits but left 12 runners on base.
For CC, Thomas Hunt led the way with two doubles and four RBIs, while Elias Diaz scored three runs and reached base three times. Luke Hull added two hits and two runs scored.
Wisconsin Lutheran plays the final game of its three-game weekend series with Cornell tomorrow at 11 a.m. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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