WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace's baseball team battled its way to take 1 of 2 against Spring Arbor during a Monday doubleheader.
The Lancers and Cougars split the four-game series as a result at Tom Roy - UPI Park.
In the opener, the first three innings were action-packed with four lead changes occurring.
SAU took the lead first with a first-inning solo home run.
Grace countered by taking the lead in the bottom of the first. Grant Rojek singled and eventually scored off a wild pitch. Matt Friesema also scored in the inning off a wild pitch, allowing the Lancers to pull ahead 2-1.
Neither team scored a run in the second, but 10 runs came across home plate during the third.
The Cougars regained the lead with a trio of runs in the top of the third, but the Lancers took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning.
In the third, Grace benefitted from two errors to take the lead. The Lancers then built a cushion thanks to a bases-loaded walk by Luke Cherry and a two-RBI single from Grant Rojek. Another RBI single from Ian Wilson propelled the Lancers in front 9-4.
The Lancers then tacked on two more runs in the fifth – aided by a solo home run from Dustin Garl – and three more in the sixth. Joey Diaz and Gabriel Maldonado had two-out RBI hits in the sixth to keep Grace's momentum.
Grace held a 14-7 lead going into the ninth inning. The Cougars made Grace sweat by pushing across four runs in their final at-bats, but Joey Diaz struck out the final SAU batter to record the save.
Noah Dininger pitched a clean eighth inning from the bullpen, striking out three batters.
Maldonado hit 2 for 2 with two RBIs, Gustin had two hits and three runs scored, and Diaz hit 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
Rojek and Wilson each had two hits and two RBIs, and Matt Friesema, Mason Wire and Carter Stogsdill plated two times apiece.
In the second game, the Lancers were plagued with errors. Grace outhit SAU 9-8, but the Lancers' four errors in the field allowed the Cougars to win 9-4.
Grace claimed the first lead of the game. Friesema singled with two outs in the first inning, and Mason Wire brought him home with a two-run homer.
The Cougars responded immediately, generating five runs over the next three frames to take the lead for good. Grace had multiple errors during that span to aid the Cougars' offense.
A grand slam by SAU in the sixth inning put the game out of reach, and the Cougars held on to produce the series split.
Ayala hit 2 for 3, and Friesema had 2 hits, 1 run and 1 RBI. Rojek tallied 1 hit, 1 stolen base and 1 run.
The Lancers end the week with a four-game trip to Mt. Vernon Nazarene on Friday and Saturday.
