WINONA LAKE, Ind. - A berth in the Crossroads League tournament comes down to the final series for Grace's baseball team. The Lancers find themselves in the driver's seat with two games remaining. The four-game series against Bethel kicked off with each team taking a game on Thursday afternoon.

The home team came out victorious in the opener in come-from-behind fashion to get the day started. 

Bethel (18-28, 11-23 CL) scored the first three runs of the game with a run in the first and two more in the third. The Lancers (20-25, 12-22 CL) chipped away at the deficit, plating a run in back-to-back innings. Gavin Kelley led off the third with a hit by pitch and later scored on Maximo De Leon's double down the line. An inning later, Sam Newkirk drew a leadoff walk. He stole second and scored on Austin Carr's single to left.

The Pilots withstood the pressure until the sixth inning, when the Lancers surged ahead with a pair of two-run blasts to take a 6-3 lead. Josh Cosme smacked a single and Newkirk followed with a towering drive over the scoreboard in left center to take a one-run lead. Next was Carr with a double, and Grant Hartley capped off the inning with an opposite field home run to increase the lead to three.

Grace tacked on an insurance run in the seventh with its third longball of the game, this time from De Leon. 

Kyle Reinartz started the game on the mound, going two innings with two strikeouts. The bullpen held the Pilots scoreless with only four hits allowed over the final seven innings. Joey Springer was credited with the win, pitching six innings before giving the ball to Hunter Schumacher to get the final three outs. 

De Leon recorded two hits, two RBIs and a run. Carr also went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run. 

The second game of the twinbill was a pitcher's duel. The game entered the final inning tied 1-1. 

The Lancers plated their run early with one in the first. De Leon doubled to get into scoring position, and Jeff Pawlik brought him home with an RBI single. 

The Pilots equalized in the fourth, benefiting from an errant throw and a single to tie the score.

Both teams pitched their way out of jams to set the stage for the final inning. Grace threatened in the fourth with two runners in scoring position and again in the sixth with a runner on third. Each time they came up empty. Bethel had two runners on base before Caleb Farney closed the door on the sixth to remain deadlocked.

In the final inning, the visitors were able to string together a walk and two singles to break the tie and push ahead by two. In the home half of the inning, the Lancers were retired in order to end the game, falling 3-1.  

Five Grace hitters each recorded one hit. The lone RBI came off the bat of Pawlik in the first. Carr and De Leon each had extra-base hits. 

Mason Meyer pitched 5.1 innings, allowing an unearned run, and collected four strikeouts. 

The Lancers will continue the series against their fierce rival on Saturday at Miller Athletic Complex. The team will honor its senior class in a ceremony as part of the home finale. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.