WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace's baseball team let an early lead fade in a 6-4 loss to Spring Arbor on Friday.

The Lancers (5-27, 5-12 Crossroads League) scored all four of their runs in the opening two innings. But Grace was unable to score for the final seven frames of the nine-inning contest.

The Cougars (20-20, 10-8 CL) were consistent with baserunners, holding a 12-6 advantage in hits. Grace also struggled in the field with four errors.

SAU jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the first, but the lead was short-lived. The Lancers struck back with three runs to go on top. 

Cameron Maxwell singled, Austin Baker doubled, and Gabe Douglass was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hunter Ackerman's ground ball brought in one run, and David Anderson hit a timely two-out, two-run double down the right field line to make the score 3-2.

Grace loaded the bases again in the bottom of the second thanks to Ethan Brooks's double and two hit batsmen. Austin Baker was then hit by a pitch, allowing Brooks to score. But with one out and the bases still loaded, SAU escaped thanks to a double play.

The Cougars cut Grace's lead to one in the top of the third and pulled ahead with a three-run fifth.

Grace was primarily muted for the rest of the contest. The Lancers had a runner on third base in the eighth but came up empty.

In Grace's final at-bats, the Lancers put the tying run on base. Maxwell and Houston Haney both walked to keep pressure on the Cougars, but SAU escaped thanks to a double play on the next at-bat.

Jacob Hammel and Kyle Brunner combined to pitch three scoreless innings of relief.

Ackerman was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI, Anderson was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a steal, and Baker hit 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The Lancers and Cougars end their series on Saturday at Miller Athletic Complex with a 12 p.m. doubleheader.