SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - Grace's baseball team lost the opening doubleheader at Spring Arbor on Friday by the scores of 9-5 and 7-5.

The Lancers will get another try at the Cougars on Saturday. The four-game series concludes with a second doubleheader at SAU, beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Grace led for most of the opening game but could not survive an eighth-inning outburst by the Cougars.

In the second inning, Patrick Danforth tripled with two outs to score Houston Haney. In the third, Austin Carr's two-out single scored Alex Rich.

The sixth saw another two-out score by Grace. Danforth drove a double to left field to bring in RJ Snyder, giving Grace a 3-1 lead.

The Cougars exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth, however, claiming momentum for the rest of the game.

The Lancers responded with two more runs in the top of the seventh — both scored with two outs. Carr's two-out, two-run double cut Grace's deficit to 9-5. But Grace was unable to move a runner into scoring position over the final two innings.

Evan Etchison started and pitched five solid innings, surrendering three hits and one earned run with five strikeouts.

Carr batted 3 for 5 with three RBIs, Danforth hit 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and Jaron Mullet reached base safely three times.

In the second game, the opening inning was filled with action. 

Rich began the game with a single and promptly stole second and third base. Chris Griffin then drove him in with a sacrifice fly. On the next at-bat, Carr singled to score another run.

The Cougars countered with five runs in the bottom of the frame, benefitting from two doubles and four singles.

Grace scored two more in the fourth thanks to a two-run single from Sam Newkirk, but the Lancers still faced a three-run deficit entering the final inning.

The Lancers tried to rally in the seventh when Jeff Pawlik plated to cut the gap to 7-5, but Grace's final two batters in the inning were retired.

Griffin finished 2 for 3, Carr hit 2 for 4, and Pawlik had 1 hit, 1 walk and 2 runs.