WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — The Lawrence University baseball team wrapped up its spring break trip to Florida by sweeping a nonconference doubleheader from Thomas (Maine) College on Saturday.
Lawrence won the opener 8-7 and took the nightcap 7-4.
The Vikings posted a 6-3 record in Florida and improved to 6-7 overall.
In the opener, Lawrence used two big innings to surge ahead. The Vikings trailed 5-2 before scoring three times in the top of the sixth inning to tie it. Freshman Travis Weber had a three-run double in the inning and finished 2-for-5 on the day.
Thomas (2-6) countered with a run in the bottom of the seventh to push the lead back to 6-5, but Lawrence answered in the top of the seventh. The Vikings scored three times in the inning as a pair of freshmen came up big. Jake Mills had a run-scoring single, and pinch-hitter Carl Olsen smacked a two-run single to put the Vikings up 8-6.
Kelton Jenkins gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth but stopped the Terriers after that to pick up the save. Kyle Duex earned the win in relief of starter Atley Gay.
In the nightcap, a three-run eighth inning lifted the Vikings to the win.
Lawrence trailed 3-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth, but Joel Birch’s two-run single pushed the Vikings to a 4-3 advantage.
Thomas tied it with a run in the top of the eighth, but Lawrence answered in the bottom half of the inning. Brandon Klar’s two-run double capped a three-run outburst that gave Lawrence a 7-4 lead.
Philip Clark pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the save. Birch worked two innings of relief to get the win, and Anthony Ortiz went 2-for-5 for the Vikings.