Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Those in attendance at Neumann Family Field saw two wildly different games between the Edgewood College baseball team and Wisconsin Lutheran College. In game one, Edgewood College was held to a season-low two hits in a 2-0 setback. The nightcap saw the Eagles pound out 19 hits and cruise to a 17-9 victory to salvage a disappointing split.
Wisconsin Lutheran pitcher Matt Lang entered the game with an 0-5 record and a 9.55 earned run average, but he might as well been Cy Young to the Eagle hitters. Lang held the Eagles hitless until Steve Binder hit a single with one out in the sixth inning. Lang earned his first win of the season giving up just two hits, while striking out four and walking six.
Edgewood College (20-12, 11-5 NAC) had chances most notably in the second inning when they loaded the bases with one out. The Eagles also advanced a runner to third in the seventh inning, but came up empty both times.
Edgewood College's only other hit came from Mike Selvaggi with one out in the ninth inning. With Brandon Bartels pinch running for Selvaggi, Ryan Walker hit a ground ball to the shortstop. The Warriors attempted to turn the double play, but the relay to first sailed wild, allowing Walker to reach second base with two outs. However, Lang escaped by getting Scott Ortega to fly out to right field to end the game.
The Eagles' lack of offense spoiled a strong performance by freshman Tony Ales who was making his first career start. Ales went six innings, giving up just three hits and one unearned run. He walked five and struck out one batter. James Bertakis finished the game striking out three batters and allowing one earned run over the last two innings.
By going 0-for-3, Edgewood College's Jimy Landwehr had hsi 20-game hitting streak snapped. His career-long streak was the third longest in school history.
The second game could hardly have been more different than the first. Every Eagle in the lineup recorded at least one hit with seven players getting two or more. Edgewood College opened the game with five runs in the first and two in the second for a 7-0 lead. Binder and Selvaggi each had two-run singles while Walker knocked an RBI double.
Wisconsin Lutheran (8-21, 4-10 NAC) answered with a run in the third and five more in the fifth to pull within 7-6 and chase Eagle starter Miles Mayer from the game. However, Edgewood College put up another five runs in the sixth to open up the game for good. Five more Eagle runs in the eighth inning put the game out of reach.
Walker, a sophomore, had a career-high four hits, going 4-for-6 with two doubles, three runs scored and three runs batted in. Erik Massey went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in of his own and touched home plate four times. Binder also had three RBIs as part of his 2-for-4 game.
Blake Hunt relieved Mayer and earned the win, pitching two innings, giving up one earned run on three hits. Patrick Clerkin finished the game by striking out five batters in three innings of work.
Edgewood College will play NCAA Division II member UW-Parkside in Kenosha on Wednesday before returning to NAC action on Friday at Maranatha Baptist. The Eagles will celebrate LSM Chiropractic Senior Day on Saturday with a noon doubleheader against Concordia University Wisconsin.
