RIO GRANDE, Ohio – The pitching wizardry of Blake Converset lifted the Grace College baseball team to a split with Rio Grande on Friday.

The Red Storm (17-11), who are currently receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25, were ranked No. 25 in the Preseason Poll. Grace won the first game 2-1 on the strength of Converset’s arm, and Rio Grande won the second game 11-1.

Offense was hard to come by in the opener. The teams combined for four hits — two apiece.

The Lancers (11-8) struck first with two runs in the top of the first. Jakob Radjenovich led off the game with a walk and stole second. After two strikeouts, Frank Rocchio stepped up and laced a two-out, two-run home run to left field. Rocchio’s homer proved to be the winning swing.

Rio Grande cut Grace’s lead in half with a two-out RBI single in the third inning, but the Red Storm did not score again.

Converset took care of the rest from the mound. He allowed just two hits in a complete-game performance — including zero hits after the third inning. He struck out four and walked two, improving to 5-0 on the season. Rio Grande was unable to move a runner into scoring position in the final two innings.

Mitchell Enyart was the other Lancer besides Rocchio to hit safely in the game.

The second game belonged to Rio Grande. The Red Storm outhit the Lancers 12-4 and scored in four of the six innings they batted.

Grace earned a pair of doubles from Aaron Voirol and Austin Green, but it was not enough to keep up with the hosts. The Lancers’ sole run of the game came when Shay Hepler scored off a double by Green.

Hepler, Voirol and Cameron Maxwell each batted 1-for-2 in the loss.

The Lancers are scheduled to play at Wright State Lake on Saturday at 1 p.m., weather permitting. Grace will then kick off the Crossroads League season on Thursday at Goshen.