Lancers Take Two From Knights [VIDEO]
WINONA LAKE – Strong pitching and timely hitting led Grace’s baseball team to a sweep of Marian at Miller Field on Tuesday.
Joey Hickerson’s sixth-inning triple led the Lancers to a 4-3 victory in the first game, and Tim Weber’s pitching limited Marian to four hits in Grace’s 10-1 win in game two.
In the opener Grace got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Joey Hickerson walked to lead off the inning and stole second. He went to third off a single from Jacob Bloom. While Marian was trying to tag Bloom out in a rundown on the base paths, Hickerson snuck home for the game’s first tally.
Tyler Weber doubled Grace’s lead in the third with a sacrifice fly ball, bringing in Bloom.
The Knights (11-14; 9-9 Crossroads League) fought their way back in front in the sixth with a two-out rally. After a leadoff single, Sammy Wilkerson retired the next two batters. But Marian showed resolve with a single and a three-run home run on their next two at-bats to jump in front, 3-2.
Not to be outdone, the Lancers (7-16; 6-9 CL) tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Grace had its first two hitters retired before making its game-changing charge with two outs. Jared Lemler and Matt Morgart hit back-to-back singles, and Hickerson cleared the bases with a standup triple to deep center field.
Dellos Schabel finished the game from the mound for Grace, picking up the save.
Bloom was 2-for-3 in the game, and Hickerson drove in two runs and stole two bases. Wilkerson allowed seven hits and three runs in six strong innings from the mound.
In the second game, Grace erupted for eight runs in the second inning to seize control of the game. Five of the first six Lancer batters reached base safely, including four singles and a hit batsman. Wyatt Clemens, Paul Blankley, Joey Hickerson and Aaron Christenberry drove in runs during the second, and Jacob Bloom capped off the inning with a three-run home run over the right field fence.
Marian pulled a run back in the fourth with three singles, but Grace responded in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice ground ball from Bloom that scored Hickerson.
Tim Weber went the distance on the mound, allowing just four hits with two strikeouts. He did not walk a batter and had a one-hitter going through three innings.
Bloom drove in four runs and scored twice himself to pace Grace. Clemens, Jared Lemler and Blankley each finished 2-for-3.
The Lancers continue the series with Marian in Indianapolis on Thursday. Grace will return to Miller Field on Saturday 1 p.m. for a doubleheader against St. Francis.