FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Lawrence University baseball team mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth, but the Vikings came up one run short in a 9-8 nonconference loss to Lakeland College on Saturday.
Lakeland led 9-5 heading to the bottom of the ninth but the Vikings mounted a rally against Lakeland starter Andy Chitwood. After a walk and a strikeout, a dropped fly ball put two runners aboard for Gabe Henriques. Henriques delivered with a two-run triple to cut the lead to 9-7.
Trent Schwalbach came on in relief and got a ground out that scored Henriques to trim the lead to 9-8. Schwalbach then struck out pinch-hitter Marc Linger to end the contest.
Phil Wisniewski, Davide Harris, Eric Bohling and Josh Graber all had two hits to pace the Vikings (0-4). Wisniewski and Henriques drove in three runs apiece for Lawrence, which out-hit the Muskies (6-3) 12-11.
Lakeland put up two runs in the second, but the Vikings rallied for four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-2 lead. Lakeland then scored a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. The Muskies added two more in sixth and another run in the eighth.
Drew Doares was the starter and took the loss for Lawrence. He went 5.1 innings, allowed eight hits and five earned runs while striking out seven.