SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Senior
Lucas Oswald (Muskego, Wis.) delivered an impressive pitching performance in a 5-1 game two win over Dominican on Saturday at Wintrust Field, as the Warriors split the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader after dropping the opener 7-5.
Game 1: Dominican 7, Wisconsin Lutheran 5
The Warriors (9-23, 3-13 NACC) struck first with a run in the opening frame on junior
Aiden Montgomery's (St. Louis, Mo.) RBI single, but the Stars (13-18, 6-12 NACC) responded with four runs in the third.
WLC rallied with three runs in the fifth on RBI doubles from juniors
Ian Rintelman (Muskego, Wis.) and
Colt Ratliff (Oxford, Ga.), and a bases-loaded hit by pitch of freshman
Lincoln Thede (Appleton, Wis.).
DU broke the 4-4 deadlock in the sixth with a two-run single and added an insurance run in the eighth on a sac fly. Junior
Payton Edlen's (Gilberts, Ill.) RBI fielder's choice in the eighth accounted for Wisconsin Lutheran's final run of the game.
The Warriors were led at the plate by Ratliff, who finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Rintelman went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while sophomore
Nate Dudek (Tinley Park, Ill.) was 2-for-3 with a walk. Montgomery, Thede, and Edlen also tallied RBIs.
Dominican's offense was paced by Austin Long, who went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Ricky Powell, Matthew Earley, and Alex Garcia added two hits each. Koufax Cranmer earned the win in relief, tossing 3.2 innings and allowing just one run on two hits with a strikeout and a walk. Aaron O'Grady picked up his fifth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
Game 2: Wisconsin Lutheran 5, Dominican 1
After leaving the bases loaded in the first, WLC was the first to break through in the fourth inning for two runs. Senior
Zach Alburg's (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) RBI double scored Montgomery, and sophomore
Jacob Lorbecki (Richfield, Wis.) scored on a wild pitch two batters later. The Stars stranded nine runners on base through the first four frames, and Oswald kept the hosts scoreless through eight innings.
Wisconsin Lutheran added three big insurance runs in its last at-bat. Dudek scored on a fielder's choice and Rintelman followed with a two-run single for a 5-0 advantage. DU threatened in the ninth by loading the bases with one out, but senior
Jordan Bierdemann (Franklin, Wis.) came on in relief of Oswald to retire the only two batters he faced to earn the save and limit further damage.
Four players finished with two hits apiece in the nightcap, including Rintelman, Ratliff, Montgomery, and sophomore
Ryan Pierquet (Chilton, Wis.). Rintelman drove in a pair and five players scored a run. Oswald allowed just one run over 8.1 innings. He worked around nine hits and seven walks while striking out four.
Dominican was paced by Zach Helein, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Christian Pogorzelski, who was 2-for-2 with two walks.
The Warriors are scheduled to host Lakeland (10-22, 3-13 NACC) on Wednesday, April 22 for a 12 p.m. NACC doubleheader at Neumann Family Field. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
