GRINNELL, Iowa — The Lawrence University baseball team put together a dramatic rally in the final inning Saturday and earned a split of a nonconference doubleheader with North Central (Minn.) University.
The games were played at Grinnell College due to unplayable field conditions in Appleton.
Lawrence rallied for sixth runs in the bottom of the seventh and took the nightcap 13-12. North Central won the opener 7-3.
The Vikings trailed 10-0 before they finally got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Richie Foreman had a run-scoring double and Phil Wisniewski added a run-scoring single in the inning.
Lawrence trimmed the lead to 12-7 with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Davide Harris, Eric Bohling and Foreman all had RBI singles in the inning.
Sam Kossow got the scoring started in the bottom of the seventh when he singled to drive in a run and cut the margin to 12-8. Wisniewski followed with a run-scoring double to make it 12-9.
Foreman’s sacrifice fly scored Kossow to cut it to 12-10. A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases, and Gabe Henriques then singled to score Wisniewski.
Robert Rashid walked to force in pinch-runner Josh Graber and the game was tied 12-12. The Rams finally got an out on a force play at home, but Harris followed with a single to score Henriques with the game-winner.
Harris and Chad Skaer both had three hits to pace Lawrence’s 15-hit attack. Wisniewski and Foreman had two hits apiece and both drove in three runs.
Dan Salzbrenner pitched 3.2 innings of relief to earn his first collegiate victory. Ben Freitag took the loss in relief.
The Rams (4-8) scored four times in the top of the fifth to break open the first game. Juan Martinez, Joe Robinson, Isaac Gross and Jay Beichley all had two hits apiece for North Central, and Martinez and Beichley each drove in a pair of runs.
Rashid, Henriques and Alex Brewer all had two hits apiece for the Vikings (2-9).
Matt Huberty went the distance and picked up the win. Andrew Wilt pitched six innings, allowing 11 hits, and took the loss.
Lawrence led 2-1 after the first inning after singles by Rashid and Henriqes got the rally started. A balk and an error allowed Rashid to score, and Henriques came home on Gene Shipanik’s ground out.
North Central scored single runs in the second and third to take a 3-2 lead and then took control with four runs in the fifth. Kaleb Graham had a two-run single, and Ian Andrews and Jay Beichley both had run-scoring singles in the inning.
Lawrence added a run in its half of the fifth when Rashid doubled and scored on Henriques’ single but could get no closer.
Lawrence travels to the University of Chicago for a nonconference doubleheader on Sunday.