FORT PIERCE, Fla. -- Aaron Leitner tossed a four-hit shutout in his collegiate debut to lead the Lawrence University baseball team to a 1-0 nonconference victory over Grinnell College in the season opener on Sunday.
Grinnell won the nightcap 7-0.
The Lawrence victory in the opening game also was the first collegiate win for new Lawrence skipper Jason Anderson.
Leitner, a freshman from Chilton, Wis., scattered four hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked one. Leitner allowed only two Grinnell baserunners to reach as far as second base.
Lawrence (1-1) got all the offense it would need in the top of the first inning. Wes Otte singled off Grinnell starter Rick Berdelle to open the game, went to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a balk. Andy Frelich then singled to score Otte and give Lawrence the 1-0 lead.
Otte and freshman Eric Bohling both went 2-for-3 to lead the Lawrence attack.
Grinnell (8-4) got a five-hit shutout from Ryan Harris in the nightcap to pick up the split. Harris struck out five and walked one.
Grinnell scored two in the first off Lawrence starter Ben Konetzke, with Mark Wilcox delivering a two-run single. The score remained 2-0 until the sixth, when Matt Skelly socked a two-run double to put the Pioneers up 4-0.
Grinnell sealed the win with three runs in the ninth off reliever Mike Baumann.
Hawk Haiduke had two of Lawrence's five hits in the nightcap.