SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - Grace's baseball team finished its doubleheader against Spring Arbor on Monday afternoon. The teams completed just an inning and a half of the scheduled doubleheader on Friday before the play was suspended due to inclement weather. With the teams continuing play on Monday, Grace's late-inning rally came up one run short in the opener 7-6. Game two also went to the Cougars 7-4 in another close game.

Spring Arbor held a four-run lead throughout the first half of the game. Grace put its first run of the game on the board in the fifth inning via a solo home run from Annikan Pettit.

After SAU added another in the seventh to make it 6-1, the Lancers began to mount their comeback.

Matt Friesema provided a two-run double to cut the deficit to three. Maximo De Leon led off the inning with a free pass and a single through the right side from Dalton Cody.

The Cougars plated an insurance run in the bottom half of the eight that proved important.

Trailing 7-3 in its final at bat, the Lancers loaded the bases. Two walks and a single put the tying run at the plate. De Leon added a fielder's choice to bring home the first run. Another walk loaded the bases once more. Josh Cosme singled to left to get Grace within a run, 7-6, with one out.

With the tying run on second, the Cougars were able to get the final two outs and escape with the one-run victory.

Etchison went 5.0 innings on the mound, collecting six strikeouts on the day. Friesema finished the opener going 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Cody went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run.

In the second game of the day, Grace scored four runs over the first three innings to hold a 4-0 lead early. The first inning saw the visitors load the bases with two outs before Grant Hartley laced a single to right to bring home the first two runs of the game.

Two innings later, Hartley added more offense, this time with a two-run blast to center. The roundtripper brought home Friesema.

Unfortunately for the Lancers, however, the bats were held in check the rest of the way.

The Cougars put together four scoreless innings on defense while using a crooked inning in the fifth frame to take their first lead of the game. After an insurance run in the sixth, the home team closed out the game 7-4.

Hartley finished 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs and a run. Friesema added a walk and two runs.
Grace will take a break from conference play to take on IU Columbus on Tuesday. The road doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.