Baseball

Category: Baseball

Comeback comes up short for Vikings

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.

North Park pulls away from Lawrence

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The North Park University baseball team built an early lead and went on to a 9-2 nonconference victory over Lawrence University on Saturday.

North Park, which collected 10 hits, scored three times in the first inning and built a 7-1 advantage after five frames. Lawrence scored single runs in the the fourth and sixth innings.

Lawrence, which was limited to five hits, was led by sophomore Sam Kossow, who went 2-for-4.

Paul Garcia pitched eight innings and picked up the win for North Park. Freshman Kelton Jenkins pitched the first three innings and took the loss for Lawrence (0-3).

Vikings shut out by Central in spring trip opener

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Lawrence University baseball team’s spring break trip to Florida got off to a rough start with a 12-0 loss to Central College on Friday.

Central pounded out 10 hits and scored seven uneared runs in the victory. Lawrence (0-2) committed seven errors in the contest.

Dirk Lindaman allowed only four hits in 6.1 innings of work to pick up the victory. Eric Bohling allowed all 10 hits and took the loss for Lawrence.

The Dutch (8-3) scored three times in the second and two more times in the fourth. Central broke the game wide open with four runs in the fifth and then tacked on three more in the seventh.

Lawrence returns to action on Saturday when it takes on both North Park University and Lakeland College.

Inside LU Athletics: Baseball team looking for confidence, consistency

Jason Anderson believes his team has the experience and talent to find success on the diamond. What remains a wild card for the Lawrence University baseball coach is his team’s confidence and consistency.

Anderson, now in his fourth season at Lawrence, is attempting to instill in his team self-assurance about victory.

“We have to figure out, learn how to win, and play with confidence that way,” Anderson said.

“Last year, we had two seniors and everyone else was a freshman or a sophomore. … When you have one or two guys having a bad day, it affects everyone. The biggest thing we’ve learned and improved on is our consistency, playing at a high level day in and day out.”

After several years of struggling with an extremely young lineup, the Vikings are in a position to have a squad with experience. The leadership of this group and finding that path to success will fall to senior pitcher/designated hitter Eric Bohling.

Bohling is healthy for the first time in his career after having surgery on his labrum early in his career. Last season, he posted to a 1-3 record on the mound and hit.274.

“Bohling is going to be the glue of the entire team,” Anderson said. “He’s the only senior and he’s a captain. He’s one of the best captains I’ve ever had.

“After that, we will have three freshman starting (pitchers), and the fourth guy will be a sophomore. If Eric sets the tone, we’ll have a good conference series. If he doesn’t, it could be kind of a struggle.”

Sophomore John Doran is one of the pitchers looking for consistency, and freshmen Davis Ogilvie, Kelton Jenkins, Drew Doares and Atley Gay will be asked to contribute immediately.

Bohling has a solid group backing him up in the field with only two starters, including All-Midwest Conference outfielder Robert Rashid, lost from a season ago. Anderson likes the maturation he sees from his returning players.

“What jumps out right away are the guys who were sophomores and have been playing for a couple of years have taken a big jump,” Anderson said.

“We have a significant amount of upper-class leadership despite being very young because they’ve played for two years. It’s really showed on the offensive side of the ball so far.”

Junior shortstop Gabe Henriques, who missed nearly half of last season, and junior second baseman Davide Harris, form the backbone of Lawrence’s defense and spark the offense. Harris led the team with a .324 batting average last season, and Henriques hit .286.

“Those guys will play up the middle and be the lead-off and second in the order. It’s noticeable on the field that they are quite the team, quite the duo,” Anderson said.

“They are two of our best hitters and two of our best defenders. They are probably are two best athletes. Davide was our best hitter last year, and I expect nothing less from him.”

The Vikings also return versatile performers like outfielder Alex Brewer, outfielder/first baseman Sam Kossow and infielder Phil Wisniewski.  

Siebert, Crisman honored

Men’s basketball standouts Chris Siebert and Tyler Crisman have been named to the All-Midwest Conference team in a vote by league coaches.

Siebert, a sophomore guard from Baraboo, Wis., was selected for the second team, and Crisman, a senior guard from Frankfort, Ill., received honorable mention.

Siebert averaged 16.4 points per game and that ranked sixth in conference play. Siebert was fourth in the conference at 4.2 assists per game, and he also averaged 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest. Crisman finished seventh in the conference in scoring at 16.2 points per game. 

Hughes, Raymond selected

Matt Hughes and Jameson Raymond have been named to the All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Team in a vote by league coaches.

Hughes were both chosen for the first time.

Hughes, a senior forward from Goodrich, Mich., led the team with 12 goals in MCHA play, and he added 10 assists for 22 points. Hughes ranks fourth in Lawrence history with 46 goals and is sixth with 91 points.

Raymond, a senior defenseman from Flint, Mich., finished second in scoring by league defensemen. Raymond picked up three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in MCHA play. Raymond ranks fifth in school history with 55 assists and is ninth with 73 points. 

Skaters honored

Lawrence also had six players chosen for the Academic All-MCHA team.

Senior defenseman Jesse Byam-Katzman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior forward Ben DiMarco (Galveston, Texas) were both honored on the academic all-conference team for the third time. Junior goaltender Michael Baldino (Woburn, Mass.) was named to the team for the second time, and junior goaltender Kevin Aslett (Portland, Ore.), junior forward Phil Bushbacher (Glenview, Ill.) and sophomore defenseman William Thoren (Gothenburg, Sweden) were all chosen for the first time. 

Stevens runs to record

Junior Sam Stevens broke the Lawrence University record in the mile run last Saturday at the Pointer Qualifier at UW-Stevens Point. Stevens, a junior from Suamico, Wis., raced to a record time of 4:19.95 to break the mark of 4:22.1, set by Joe Berger in 1985. 

Fencers ninth

The Lawrence fencing team finished ninth overall at the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships at Notre Dame last weekend.

The men’s epee squad led the way by taking fifth with a 5-2 victory over the University of Chicago. The Lawrence men finished eighth overall among the 20 teams, and the women were 11th.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Early bird all-session passes on sale for NCAA Division III Baseball Championship

APPLETON, Wis. – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has announced ticket pricing for its 2012 Division III Baseball Championship that rewards early buyers.

The championship, which will be held May 25-29 at Appleton’s Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium, is an eight-team, double-elimination tournament. Four games will be held on both May 25 and 26, while three contests are set for May 27. Two games are scheduled for May 28 and the final will be May 29, with a second title game if necessary.

The Early Bird All-Session Pass will be on sale for $15 from March 7 through May 1. The cost is a savings of $18 off the regular price. Early Bird passes can be purchased by contacting the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers ticket office at (920) 733-4152. They can also be obtained through the website of the Timber Rattlers.

After May 1, the price of the all-session pass rises to $33 for adults and $20 for students and senior citizens. A daily pass to the tournament costs $11 for adults and $7 for students or senior citizens. Tickets for championship day will be $7 for adults and $5 for students or senior citizens.

In the 2011 NCAA Division III Championship, Marietta College (Ohio) won its fifth title with an 18-5 victory over Chapman University (Calif.).  Marietta College finished with a 47-4 record, posting the most wins by a champion since 1986.

Lawrence University and the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau are hosting the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship, which began in 1976.

Other major local sponsors are the Appleton Post-Crescent, Bergstrom Corporation, J.J. Keller Foundation, Inc., and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium will serve as the venue of this championship for the 13th straight year.  The facility is the home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

For information on the 2012 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship, visit www.ncaa.com.  Additional information can be obtained by contacting Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker at (920) 832-6878.

Vikings drop season opener to Carleton

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Lawrence University baseball team dropped the earliest season opener in school history with a 9-7 loss to Carleton College at the Metrodome on Sunday.

The second game was halted in the bottom of the fifth inning with Carleton holding a 10-1 lead.

Lawrence built a 5-3 lead after two innings, but Carleton scored three times in the fourth and three more times in the fifth to pull away. Lawrence, which out-hit the Knights 11-9, scored a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth but couldn’t get any closer.

The Vikings loaded the bases against reliever Paul Dimick in the bottom of the seventh, but he got Sam Kossow to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

Gabe Henriques, Eric Bohling, Phil Wisniewski and Alex Brewer all had two hits for the Vikings. Henriques and Wisniewski both drove in a pair of runs.

Freshman Andrew Doares took the loss in relief for the Vikings. Jackson Tears pitched two innings of relief to pick up the win.

Box score

Student-athletes receive awards at Honors Day

Twelve Lawrence University student-athletes were recently honored at the 2011 Honors Celebration.

The awards and winners are as follows.

The Ruth Bateman Award is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability and leadership by a female athlete. Senior Sarah Ehlinger (Wauwatosa, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) was a star on the women’s soccer squad for four years. A four-time All-Midwest Conference selection, Ehlinger ranks second in Lawrence history with 99 points and 38 assists and third with 23 goals. An Academic All-MWC selection, Ehlinger has a 3.92 grade point average and was an Academic All-District 5 selection.

The Iden Charles Champion Cup is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability, college spirit and loyalty. Senior Robert Rashid (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) was a four-year starter for the baseball team and an All-MWC and All-Central Region selection in the outfield. Among the nation’s leaders in stolen bases as a junior, Rashid hit .341 for his career. Rashid is a math major with a 3.4 grade point average and is an Academic All-MWC selection.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Men is given the freshman man who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Luke Barthelmess (Dow, Ill./Principia) and William Thoren (Gothenburg, Sweden/Katrinelundsgymnasiet) shared the award.

Barthlemess was a starter in both football and baseball. As a quarterback on the gridiron, Barthelmess completed 91 of 168 passes for 1,044 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed 52 times for 151 yards and caught three passes for 49 yards and a score. The starting rightfielder on the baseball team, Barthelmess hit .258 on the season. Thoren was an All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association selection at defenseman. Also named to the MCHA All-Freshmen Team, Thoren had four goals and a team-high 16 assists for 20 points on the season.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Women is given to the freshman woman who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Swimmer Hannah Gabriel (Elmhurst, Ill./York) won the 200-yard freestyle at the Midwest Conference Championships and set Lawrence and MWC Championships records in the process. She also took second in the 1,650 freestyle and second in the 500 freestyle. Gabriel also won a title at the Wisconsin Private College Championships and was named a MWC Swimmer of the Week.

The Ralph V. Landis Award was established by the Lettermen of Lawrence in honor of Dr. Landis, physician to Lawrence students from 1926-78, and is awarded for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics by a senior male athlete. Senior defenseman Jon Sheridan (Midland, Mich./Dow) was the hockey team captain and a member of the MCHA All-Academic Team. Sheridan also was chosen for the 2011 MCHA Harris Cup Team. Sheridan twice earned MCHA Defensive Player of the Week honors and also was chosen as the MCHA Player of the Week.

The Charles E. Pond Award for Men is given for all-around athletic ability by a senior man in two or more sports and for sportsmanship, school spirit and scholarship. Jon Mays (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) starred in both basketball and golf for the Vikings. A team captain in both sports, Mays was an All-MWC selection in basketball and led the basketball squad to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA Division III Tournament appearances.

The Charles E. Pond Award for Women is given for all-around athletic ability by a senior woman in two or more sports and for sportsmanship, school spirit, and scholarship. Annie Sullivan (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) earned 12 letters during her time at Lawrence, four apiece in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. Sullivan was one of the Vikings’ top distance runners throughout her career in both cross country and track.

The Marion Read Award is given for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics. Women’s soccer star Mallory Koula (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) piled up 19 goals and finished with 42 points this past season and led the Vikings to the MWC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. An All-MWC selection in each of her two seasons at Lawrence, she led the league in points, points per game, goals and goals per game in 2010. Also a stellar student, Koula sports a 3.94 grade point average in biochemistry and is a member of the Academic All-MWC Team.

The Letterwinner Award is presented by the L Club to those outstanding seniors who have earned eight or more letters. The winners are:

Jon Mays (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson), basketball and golf;

Dan Moeller (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah), cross country and track and field;

Jesse Peterson (Monroe, Wis./Monroe), football and track and field;

Matt Eddy (South Deerfield, Mass./Deerfield Academy), cross country and track and field;

Annie Sullivan (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay), cross country and track and field.

Vikings wrap up season with doubleheader split against Carroll

The Lawrence University baseball team wrapped up its season with a Midwest Conference doubleheader split against Carroll University on Sunday at Whiting Field.

Lawrence (3-32, 1-15 MWC) won the opener 11-2, and Carroll (12-21, 6-10) took the nightcap 8-2.

In the opener, Lawrence got a complete-game performance from pitcher Eric Bohling. He allowed only six hits, struck out seven and walked six. Bohling also went 3-for-4 at the plate, drove in three runs and scored three times.

Robert Rashid and Chad Skaer both had two hits for the Vikings, and Skaer, Sam Kossow and Davide Harris all drove in two runs.

Lawrence led 1-0 when the Vikings scored three times in the third. Bohling and Skaer both had run-scoring singles in the inning.

The Vikings then started to pull away with three more runs in the seventh. Bohling had his third run-scoring single of the game, and a pair of errors and a walk helped the Vikings build a 7-0 lead.

Carroll struck back with two runs in the top of the eighth, but Lawrence put the game away with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Harris smacked a run-scoring double in the inning, Skaer added a RBI single and Kossow picked up a sacrifice fly. The Vikings took advantage of three walks and a pair of wild pitches in the inning.

Cale Ross pitched the first seven innings, allowing six hits, striking out nine and walking five, and took the loss.

In the nightcap, Matt Buhrow pitched a complete game for the Pioneers and allowed five hits while striking out 10 and walking four.

The Pioneers pulled away late against Lawrence starter Andrew Wilt. He also went the distance, struck out six and walked seven.

Lawrence scored runs in the first and third to grab a 2-0 lead. Bohling had a a run-scoring double in the first, and the Vikings picked up an unearned run in the third.

Carroll got on the board in the fifth when Aaron Gendrich hit a solo homer to cut the lead in half. The Pioneers then took a 3-2 lead when George Simons and Gendrich both drew bases-loaded walks in the sixth.

After scoring once in the seventh, Carroll pulled away with four unearned runs in the eighth. Joe Klobukowski and Tyler Fitzsimmons both had run-scoring singles in the inning.

Gendrich and Klobukowski both had three hits for the Pioneers.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Late rallies lead Carroll to doubleheader sweep of Vikings

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Carroll University baseball team got a pair of late rallies and defeated Lawrence University 7-6 and 7-3 in a Midwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Frame Park.

In the opener, Carroll scored a run with only a bunt single in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

Lawrence (2-31, 0-14 MWC) was down 6-2 when the Vikings rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth. A single, an error and a hit batsman loaded the bases when Alex Brewer delivered a two-run single to trim the lead to 6-4. Davide Harris later came up with another two-run single and Lawrence had tied the game at 6-6.

Carroll (11-20, 5-9) then got a walk, a bunt single and an intentional walk to load the bases when a hit batsman forced in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

Sam Mulkey went the distance to pick up the win, and Sam Ausloos took the loss in relief. Chad Skaer pitched the first seven innings for Lawrence and allowed only five hits and three earned runs.

In the nightcap, Lawrence grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third on Michael Baldino’s two-run double. Carroll tied the game with a run in the fourth, and the Pioneers took control with four runs in the seventh. Matt Busse and Drew Volkman both had two-run singles in the inning.

Brian King pitched the first seven innings and took the loss for the Vikings. Jason Pattengale pitched five innings of two-hit relief to pick up the win.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Green Knights take two from Lawrence

DE PERE, Wis. — The St. Norbert College baseball team swept a Midwest Conference doubleheader from Lawrence University on Wednesday by the scores of 15-1 and 8-7 at Mel Nicks Field.

In the opener, St. Norbert (14-13, 8-4 MWC) jumped on the Vikings (2-29, 0-12) with five runs in the first inning against starter John Doran. St. Norbert led 7-1 when it scored eight times in the bottom of the sixth to seal the victory.

Kevin Nutley went the distance, allowing only four hits, to pick up the win. St. Norbert collected 12 hits, with five players picking up two hits apiece.

In the nightcap, the Vikings built a 7-1 lead early only to see St. Norbert come back.

St. Norbert led 1-0 when the Vikings exploded for seven runs in the second inning against Green Knights starter Drew Tangney. The Vikings had only four hits in the inning but benefitted from two walks, a hit batsman and two errors.

Eric Bohling picked up a big two-run single in the inning, and Phil Wisniewski and Davide Harris both had run-scoring singles.

The Green Knights chipped away by scoring one run in the second, three in the fourth and two in the sixth to tie it at 7-7. Ryan Kehl’s RBI double in the seventh gave the Green Knights an 8-7 lead.

St. Norbert then got two innings of scoreless relief from Kyle Mahlik to preserve the win.

Both Bohling and Harris had two hits for the Vikings in the nightcap, and Matt Hannon went 3-for-4 to pace St. Norbert.

Game one box score

Game two box score