Lawrence University Sports News

Contact: Joe Vanden Acker, Sports Information Director, 920-832-6878
For Immediate Release April 7, 2007

Vikings blow lead in ninth and get swept by Beloit

BELOIT, Wis. -- The Lawrence University baseball team gave up five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Beloit College completed a Midwest Conference doubleheader sweep of the Vikings on Saturday.

Beloit's rally gave the Bucs a 7-6 win in the nightcap, and Beloit took the opener 8-3.

Lawrence (1-10, 0-2 MWC) looked like it had taken control in the second game when the Vikings scored three runs in the top of the eighth to go up 6-2. Tommy Schmidt and Tim Salm both had run-scoring doubles in the inning, and Brad Hauser completed the scoring for the Vikings with a RBI single.

Josh Richie, who had worked a 1-2-3 eighth in relief of starter Kevin Kangas, ran into big trouble in the ninth.

Beloit (8-8, 2-0) cut the lead to 6-5 on a pair of walks, a wild pitch, and two run-scoring singles. Richie then walked in the tying run and uncorked a wild pitch with the bases loaded to score another run and give Beloit the win.

Lawrence led 3-1 in the opener after scoring a pair of runs in the first and tacking on another run in the third. Beloit then took control with four runs in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Beloit had only three hits in the inning but was aided by an error, a wild pitch, and a walk.

Tim O'Toole and Hawk Haiduke both had two hits for the Vikings in the opener, and Evan Neuens picked up a pair of hits in the nightcap.

Lawrence wraps up its four-game series with Beloit on Monday with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Whiting Field.