VERONA, Wis. – The Edgewood College baseball team doesn't play long ball very often, but it sure is fun to watch when it happens. Monday night the Eagles hit four home runs, doubling their season total, but split a doubleheader with Concordia University Wisconsin, winning game one 11-2 and falling in game two 11-8. With the win and a loss by Rockford University, the Eagles clinched a spot in the NACC Tournament.
Edgewood College (17-17, 11-7 NACC) bolted from the gate with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Lauritzen put the Eagles ahead 1-0 with a sacrifice fly that scored Danny Appino who had reached on a leadoff double. Zack Creekmore followed with a two-run shot to right field for a 3-0 lead just four batters into the game. After a dropped fly ball allowed Brad Clark to score, Brodie Engel drove in a run with an RBI groundout. Appino provided the final blow with his second double of the inning to score Peter Hefty and Callen Gavic.
In the second, Brad Clark connected on his second home run of the season for an 8-0 lead. The Eagles made it 11-0 in the fourth when Gavic, a freshman, connected on his first career home run just inside the right field foul pole to score Lauritzen and Nick Lehner.
That was all the run support starting pitcher Nate Averill could ask for. Averill allowed just five hits and no unearned runs, while striking out four in a complete game victory. Through the end of game one Edgewood College pitchers had gone 31 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.
Appino led the Eagles at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a stolen base and two runs batted in. Gavic was 2-for-3 with his home run and a season-high four runs batted in. Creekmore and Lehner also had two hits.
In game two, Concordia University Wisconsin (18-17, 9-9 NACC) led 5-2 when the Eagles dialed up the home run ball once again. After Lauritzen singled and Creekmore reached on an error, Clark blasted his second home run of the night into right field to tie the game at 5-5. The Eagles were back in the game, until things turned south in the top of the eighth.
The Falcons scored five runs on three walks, an error and one hit to grab a commanding 10-5 lead. Appino and Brodie Engel pulled off a nifty double steal and Lauritzen drove in another run in the eighth to close the gap to 10-7, but the Eagles would get no closer.
Starting pitcher Steve Gavin gave up five earned runs in 4.1 innings. Appino came in from center field to pitch in the eighth inning and took his first loss of the season. No Eagle had more than one hit in game two, although Clark had three RBIs and Lauritzen had two. Unfortunately, Creekmore failed to reach base for the first time in 31 consecutive games ending his school record streak. Teammate Manning, however, extended his reached base safely streak to 25 games, one short of the previous record that Creekmore broke last week.
The Eagles win, coupled with a Rockford loss, clinches a berth in the NACC Tournament with one league doubleheader remaining. Edgewood College actually moved into a tie for third tonight with Marian University sweeping Benedictine University. The Eagles hit the road tomorrow for a non-conference game against NCAA Division I member Milwaukee at Henry Aaron Field. Edgewood College and the Panthers will get started at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
