GRINNELL, Iowa — A nine-run sixth inning led the North Central (Minn.) University baseball team to a 16-4 nonconference victory over Lawrence University on Friday.
The game was played at Grinnell High School due to unplayable field conditions in Appleton.
Isaac Gross went 5-for-6 with a pair of runs batted in to pace North Central (3-7) and its 17-hit attack. Ian Andrews went 3-for-5 with three RBI, and Ben Freitag was 3-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBI.
Chad Skaer went 3-for-4 and Sam Kossow was 2-for-2 to pace the Vikings (1-8), who committed a season-high eight errors.
Lawrence led 2-1 after scoring twice in the bottom of the second. After Eric Bohling reached on an error and Davide Harris singled, Skaer singled to score Bohling. Harris later scored on an error and the Vikings were up 2-1.
The Rams took the lead back with three runs in the fourth, and the outburst was highlighted by Andrews’ two-run homer.
North Central led 5-2 when they put the game away with the big sixth inning. Freitag had a two-run double in the inning, and Andrews and Gross both added run-scoring doubles.
Lawrence finished out its scoring with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Gene Shipanik had a run-scoring single, and Darvis PridGeon drove in a run with a ground out.
John Doran pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, and took the loss. Blake Balaam scattered four hits over seven innings and picked up the win.
The same two teams will play again Saturday in a doubleheader at Grinnell College.