WESTFIELD, Ind. - Grace's baseball team was unable to hand Indiana Wesleyan a loss in the start of their series on Thursday.

The Lancers fell 16-3 and 7-6 on day one of the two-day series.

The series was moved ahead by one day and changed venues to Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., due to heavy rains.

IWU was the first to get on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the first inning.

The Wildcats added to their lead in the second inning with a four-run flurry.

Grace countered with a big third inning. Grant Rojek began the inning with a walk, and Carter Stogsdill was hit by a pitch. Matt Friesema wasted no time and promptly scored everyone with a three-run home run.

But the Wildcats put the game out of reach with a 10-run outburst in the fifth inning. Grace was unable to responded had to settle for the defeat.

The second game was a battle until the final batter.

The Wildcats again scored the game's initial run with a solo homer in the second inning.

The Lancers had an immediate response in the third. Stogsdill produced a two-out triple to score Darl Gustin and level the score at 1-1.

The Wildcats tried to pull away in the middle innings, scoring four runs on the back of extra-base hits.

Grace had a rally in store, however. Cayden Calloway produced one run with an RBI single in the sixth, pulling Grace to within three at 5-2.

The Lancers needed three runs in the seventh to extend the game, and Grace produced four.

Gustin began the rally with a solo homer. Jose Ayala was hit by a pitch, and Mayo Fernandez singled. But Grace was down to its final out.

Friesema was not phased by the moment, lifting a two-out, three-run home run over the fence to hand Grace a 6-5 lead.

The Lancers were unable to hold the lead. IWU quickly tied the game with a leadoff homer to start the bottom of the seventh. Three batters later, the Wildcats walked off the game with an RBI single.

Friesema hit 3 for 4 with three RBIs, Fernandez was 2 for 4 with two runs, and Gustin had 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI and 1 steal.

The Lancers will end their series with IWU back at Grand Park on Friday.