Baseball

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University baseball team rode great pitching in the opener to a Midwest Conference doubleheader split with Carroll University on Thursday at Whiting Field.

Lawrence won the opener 4-1 and dropped the nightcap 5-4 to the Pioneers.

In the first game, Drew Doares tossed seven innings of three-hit relief to pick up the victory for Lawrence (6-22, 3-8 MWC). Doares allowed one run, struck out nine and walked two.

Jake Gordon went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored to pace the Lawrence offense, which scratched out four runs on just six hits.

Lawrence scored two runs on a strange play in the bottom of the first. With runners at first and second and two outs, Carroll pitcher Kevin Dineen uncorked a wild pitch. Gordon came home to score from third, but when Dineen caught the ball from catcher Kyle Sykes, both players turned their backs to the plate. Sam Kossow, who had advanced to third on the wild pitch, then sprinted home to score and make it 2-0.

The Vikings added two more runs in the sixth after Gordon singled and Kossow doubled. Gordon scored on a balk, and Joel Birch’s sacrifice fly scored Kossow to make it 4-0.

In the nightcap, the Vikings pounded out 15 hits but stranded 15 runners against five Carroll (11-18, 6-9) pitchers.

Kossow, Birch, Aaron Benz and Brandon Vamarasi all had two hits for Lawrence, and Vamarasi drove in a pair of runs in the first inning.

Lawrence led 4-2 after three innings, but the Pioneers cut the lead to 4-3 with a run in the fourth. Carroll took the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth. Dylan Grove singled to score Ethan Urban, and an errant throw to the plate allowed Clayton Schmitt to score for a 5-4 Carroll lead.

Schmitt went 4-for-5 in the nightcap, and Grove drove in three runs.

The Vikings threatened in each of the final four innings, leaving six runners aboard, but could not score.

Jake Sweet threw three innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win, and Matt Risch worked around a lead-off single in the ninth for the save. Atley Gay worked 6.1 innings and took the loss for Lawrence.

Game one box score

Game two box score

RIPON, Wis. — The Ripon College baseball team swept a Midwest Conference doubleheader from Lawrence University on Sunday at Francis Field.

Ripon (17-11, 10-2 MWC) won the opener 9-1 and took the nightcap 13-1.

In the opener, Marshall Zahn allowed only four hits and one run over eight innings to get the win. He struck out 15 and walked one. Tom Sawyer, Sam Waters and Bradley Knoblock all had three hits for Ripon.

In the nightcap, three Ripon pitchers combined to allow just six hits and a first-inning run. Matt Hecht gave up three hits over five innings to earn the win. Dakotah Kirchenwitz went 3-for-4, scored four runs and drove in two to lead Ripon.

Aaron Benz went 2-for-3 for the Vikings (5-21, 2-7).

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Ripon College baseball team rode outstanding pitching to a Midwest Conference doubleheader sweep of Lawrence University on Saturday at Whiting Field.

The Red Hawks won the opener 12-0 and took the nightcap 5-3.

In the first game, Patrick Van Daalwyk tossed a four-hit shutout for Ripon (15-11, 8-2 MWC). He struck out six and walked one.

Ripon broke the game open with four runs in the third to take a 5-1 lead, and then tacked on runs in each of the final four innings to cruise to the win. Four players had two hits apiece for Ripon, and Nick Uhen drove in three runs.

Three of Lawrence’s four hits came from Sam Kossow, who went 3-for-3. Phil Clark made the start and allowed five hits and five runs over three innings to take the loss.

In the nightcap, Tom Fish went the distance for Ripon to earn the win. He allowed six hits, struck out six and walked one. Drew Doares pitched seven strong innings for Lawrence (5-19, 2-5) and took the loss. He allowed eight hits and only two earned runs.

Dakotah Kirchenwitz went 3-for-5 to pace Ripon’s offense. Davis Ogilvie went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs for Lawrence. Kossow went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs.

The game was tied 1-1 when Ripon scored two runs with the help of Nick Schmitt’s run-scoring single and an error. The Red Hawks tacked on single runs in the seventh and eighth to take a 5-1 lead.

Lawrence scored twice in the bottom of the eighth on Kossow’s RBI single and Aaron Benz’s sacrifice fly to close the margin to 5-3. Fish worked out of any further damage in the eighth, and then set down the Vikings in order in the ninth to seal the win.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University baseball team put together a big rally in the sixth inning of the opener for a win and went on to split a nonconference doubleheader with Lakeland College on Tuesday at Val Wylie Field.

Lawrence took the opener 12-11, and Lakeland (10-21) won the nightcap 7-5.

Jake Gordon, Aaron Benz and Luke Zablocki all had two hits for the Vikings (5-17) in the first game, and Marc Linger drove in three runs while Zablocki and Dan Taylor both had a pair of RBI.

Drew Doares worked two innings of one-hit relief to pick up his second win of the season. Derek Loomans pitched one inning and took the loss.

Lawrence grabbed a 7-4 lead with five runs in the bottom of the third. The Vikings took advantage of two walks and two errors in the inning, and Taylor delivered a big two-run single.

The Muskies struck back with seven runs over the next three innings to grab an 11-7 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth. The Vikings started the sixth with four consecutive hits, including a two-run single by Zablocki that cut the lead to 11-9. The Vikings had the bases loaded with one out when Linger grounded out and Zablocki scored. Brandon Klar then reached on an error, and Sam Kossow scored to tie the game at 11-11. Joel Birch followed with a single to score Taylor and Lawrence led 12-11.

Doares then retired the Muskies in order in the seventh to secure the win.

In the nightcap, Lawrence collected only four hits. Benz went 2-for-4 to pace the Vikings, and Zablocki drove in a pair of runs.

Lakeland led 4-0 and Jared Rear was working on a no-hitter until things fell apart in the fourth. Gordon broke up the no-hitter with a one-out infield single, and Benz followed with a single. Zablocki hit into a fielder’s choice, but an argument ensued when Zablocki was called safe at first. Both Lakeland third baseman AJ Dollinger and head coach Mike Bachar were ejected.

Gordon scored on the play, and Rear then walked Kossow and hit Brandon Vamarasi to load the bases. Taylor and Linger then both drew bases-loaded walks to cut the lead to 4-3.

After Lakeland tacked on a run in the top of the fifth, Lawrence scored twice in the bottom half of the inning. Benz had a run-scoring triple, and Zablocki followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 5-5.

The Muskies pulled ahead with two runs in the top of the sixth with Tim Kuchenbecker delivering a two-run single against Max Markoff. Luke Mandich completed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief by setting the Vikings down in order in the seventh to pick up the win.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Northland College baseball team scored two unearned runs in the top of the 10th inning of the nightcap to complete a nonconference doubleheader sweep of Lawrence University on Monday at Whiting Field.

The Lumberjacks (11-11) took the opener 8-3 and grabbed the nightcap 6-4 in 10 innings.

Lawrence (4-16) rallied from behind twice in the second game before Lumberjacks pulled out the win. The Vikings were down 2-0 in the fifth when they scored three times in the bottom half of the inning. Marc Linger’s two-run double was the key blow in the inning for Lawrence.

Northland came right back to score twice in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead, but Sam Kossow’s two-out single drove in Aaron Benz to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the inning.

The game went to the 10th when Northland scored a pair of unearned runs on just one hit. Lawrence made two errors, including one that negated an out at the plate, in the inning. The Vikings put the tying runs aboard in the bottom of the 10th, but Benz grounded out to end the game.

Logan Schuman worked 5.1 innings of one-run relief to earn the win. Dan Taylor didn’t allow an earned run in 3.1 innings of relief but took the loss.

Jake Gordon went 3-for-5 to pace Lawrence, and Benz and Luke Zablocki had two hits apiece.

In the opener, Northland scored five times in the third on five hits and a pair of Lawrence errors to take control. The Lumberjacks led 7-0 before Zablocki blasted a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, to cut the lead to 7-3.

Jacob Smith allowed eight hits over six innings to pick up the win. John Doran gave up seven hits over three innings and took the loss.

Benz went 2-for-4 and was the only Lawrence player with more than one hit in the first game. Peter Aerts went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs for the Lumberjacks.

Game one box score

Game two box score

GALESBURG, Ill. — The Knox College baseball team swept a nonconference doubleheader from Lawrence University on Saturday by the scores of 19-9 and 7-3 at Blodgett Field.

Knox rallied from a 6-2 deficit in the opener and scored nine times in the fifth inning to take control. The Prairie Fire (13-12) scored three times in the seventh and three more times in the eighth to end the game.

Cody Boal went 4-for-5, drove in four runs and scored three times to lead Knox, which had 23 hits. Sam Kossow went 4-for-5 and drove in two runs for Lawrence (4-14). Davis Ogilvie, Jake Gordon, Aaron Benz, Brandon Vamarasi, Joel Birch and Brandon Klar all had two hits for the Vikings.

Peter Marquardt pitched four innings of relief to pick up the win, and Drew Doares took the loss in relief for the Vikings.

In the nightcap, Knox took control with two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to build a 5-1 lead.

Drew Osborn went 4-for-4 to pace the Prairie Fire. Gordon went 3-for-5 and Vamarasi had a pair of hits for the Vikings.

Ryder Borre pitched 3.2 innings of relief to earn the win, and Ogilvie went the first five innings and took the loss.

Game one box score

Game two box score

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Lawrence University baseball team blasted four home runs, including a grand slam, and rolled to a 24-11 Midwest Conference victory over Carroll University at Frame Park on Wednesday.

Lawrence set or tied five school records, including tying the marks for runs scored and runs batted in.

Joel Birch went 4-for-6 with a grand slam, drove in seven runs and scored four runs for Lawrence (4-12, 2-3 MWC), which pounded out a school-record 25 hits. The Vikings had five players with at least four hits apiece and tied the school record with 23 RBIs.

Jake Gordon was 5-for-7 with four runs scored and a pair of RBIs. The five hits ties the school record for hits in a game. Freshman Brandon Vamarasi was 4-for-5 and drove in six runs for the Vikings.

Sam Kossow went 4-for-4 and scored a school-record six runs, and Marc Linger went 4-for-6 with three RBIs. Davis Ogilive hit a three-run homer for the Vikings, and Luke Zablocki had a solo shot, his team-best third homer of the season.

Kelton Jenkins pitched five innings of relief to pick up the win.

Lawrence led 4-0 after the top of the first as Gordon hit a two-run homer and Zablocki blasted a solo homer. Carroll (6-10, 3-2) then scored the next six runs over four innings to grab a 6-4 lead.

The Vikings exploded for seven runs in the fifth to take an 11-6 lead. The big blow in the inning was Ogilvie’s three-run homer.

Lawrence added two more runs in the sixth and picked up four in the seventh, including a pair on a Birch double, to lead 15-6. Carroll countered with four in the bottom of the seventh, but Lawrence sealed the win in the final two innings.

Vamarasi drove in a pair in a three-run eighth, and Birch blasted the grand slam in the ninth to finish the scoring for Lawrence.

Box score

Game two of the doubleheader was postponed due to inclement weather.