WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace's baseball team battled with Spring Arbor on Friday at Tom Roy - UPI Park.
The Lancers produced a split with the Cougars. Grace lost the opener 5-3 before bouncing back with a 4-1 win in the second game, handing SAU its first Crossroads League defeat of the season.
In the first game, Grace had baserunners early and often against the Cougars. In the first inning, Grace had two baserunners but was unable to capitalize.
SAU took the first lead of the game with a leadoff home run in the second inning. The Cougars added to their lead with a sacrifice fly in the third to open up a 2-0 edge.
The Lancers responded in the third inning. Grant Rojek led off with a walk and moved to third on a single from Matt Friesema. Mayo Fernandez brought Rojek home with a sacrifice fly.
In the next inning, Grace tied the score. Ian Wilson walked and advanced to third after a single from Gabriel Maldonado. A ground ball from Carter Stogsdill scored Wilson to make the score 2-2.
SAU pulled ahead by a run in the top of the fifth, but Friesema leveled the score with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the inning.
The leadoff hitter reached base safely each inning during the sixth, seventh and eighth frames, but each time the Lancers were unable to bring the baserunner in to score.
The Cougars took advantage in the eighth with a double and a sacrifice fly to take the lead. In the top of the ninth, another sac fly pushed SAU's lead to two at 5-3.
Grace could not generate a baserunner in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Cougars to hold on for the win.
Friesema was lethal at the plate, hitting 4 for 5. Jose Ayala walked twice, and Ian Wilson and Gabriel Maldonado each had a hit and a walk.
In the second game, Grace found revenge. Starting pitcher Kyle Showley set the stage for the win, pitching five sharp innings.
The Cougars mustered just two hits and a single run over Showley's five innings.
The Lancers took the lead for good in the second inning. Mayo Fernandez, Mason Wire and Wilson singled to produce one run. Two batters later, Stogsdill hit an RBI single to bring in Wire and double the lead.
In the fourth inning, Rojek produced a two-out single to plate Wilson, making the lead 3-0.
The Cougars threatened to storm back by loading the bases with nobody out in the sixth inning. SAU scored one run with a sacrifice fly, but Grace's defense made a strong play on the next at-bat, throwing out a runner at home after a ground ball went to Fernandez.
SAU was retired with a fly ball on the final batter, limiting the damage to a single run in the frame.
Grace carried that momentum into the bottom of the inning when Wilson drilled a leadoff homer over the left field fence.
The Cougars weren't prepared to go down easily in their final at-bats during the seventh, placing two runners on base.
But Grace shut out SAU in the inning with a strikeout, a line out to short, and a fly out to left field to clinch the win.
Bryce Berkemeier recorded the save; he threw the final 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk.
Wilson batted 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs. Wire and Maldonado were both 2 for 3 with a run scored.
The Lancers and Cougars will conclude their series in Winona Lake on Monday. The games will start at 1 p.m. at Tom Roy - UPI Park.
