Chris Griffin gets a hit for Grace baseball during a game Wednesday. (Photo provided)

MARIAN 14, GRACE 6
A memorable run through the 2019 Crossroads League Tournament ended on Wednesday for Grace’s baseball team.

The Lancers lost 14-6 to Marian in the tournament championship game, hosted by Taylor University. The Knights (30-19) beat the Lancers on back-to-back days, squelching Grace’s dreams of a conference crown.

The game started brightly for Grace on a clear, 70-degree day. David Anderson and Sam Newkirk started the game with singles, and Anderson scored on a single by Mitchell Enyart. But with the bases loaded and one out, the Lancers (17-27) were retired with a double play.

Marian wasted little time responding. The Knights countered with four runs in the bottom of the first, benefitting from a pair of walks and a hit batsman.

The Knights were not finished, however. Marian tacked on two more runs in the second inning to take a commanding 6-1 lead.

Grace’s bats were silent from the second to the fourth, and Marian struck again in the bottom of the fourth. The Knights doubled three times and plated six runs.

The Lancers broke out of their slump in the top of the fifth, putting four runs on the scoreboard to make the score 12-5. Anderson and Newkirk had back-to-back singles again to begin the inning, and Enyart drove in both with a single.

On the next at-bat, Ethan Brooks scored another run with an RBI single, and Jacob Sapp ended the scoring with a two-out single to plate Enyart.

Anderson moved from center field to the mound in the bottom of the fifth, and he was sharp in a relief appearance. Anderson did not allow Marian to score for the next three innings, but Grace could not make a significant rally on offense.

The Lancers’ only other run came in the top of the eighth when Xavier Harris’s double brought in Newkirk.

Newkirk finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs scored, Enyart had two hits, a run and three RBIs, and Anderson was 2-for-5 with a run.

The Lancers achieved a number of accomplishments under co-interim head coaches Ryan Roth and Tom Roy.

Grace finished the regular season with 10 Crossroads League victories, third-most in team history. Grace’s 17 wins overall this year were also the third-most since 1972. The Lancers also reached the tournament championship game for the first time and were one win away from qualifying for the program’s first NAIA Nationals.

NORTHWOOD 6, WARSAW 3
NorthWood jumped out to a 3-0 lead, then held on for a Northern Lakes Conference win over host Warsaw Wednesday.

The Panthers scratched out a run in the top of the first, then added two more in the third before the Tigers got on the board with a run in the fourth. Both teams plated a pair of runs during a prolific fifth.

Matt Dutkowski went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead NorthWood at the plate. Jaden Miller tallied two hits with an RBI.

Matt Shoemaker led Warsaw offensively, going 2-for-2 with a double, while Ian Glogovsky finished 2-for-4 with a double.

Cooper Davis got the win on the hill for Wood. He threw 4 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and four walks with two strikeouts for three runs, two earned.

Joey Springer took the loss for Warsaw. He went six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and striking out two.

NorthWood improves to 14-5 overall and 8-3 in the NLC. The Panthers play Elkhart Memorial Friday at 5 p.m.

The Tigers slip to 7-12 and 4-7 in the conference. They are in action again on Friday when they host Northridge at 5:30 p.m.

NORTHRIDGE 14, WAWASEE 6
Ridge piled on crooked numbers in every inning but the first on the way to a 14-6 shelling of visiting Wawasee Wednesday night.

The Raiders recorded 13 hits to Wawasee’s five in the win. Drew Gayler, Cam Knepp, Logan Pratt, Reece Lucking and Ben Becker tallied two hits apiece, and Becker homered on his way to three RBIs. Davis Enfield also homered to help his cause on the mound, where he last 4 1/3 innings, giving up just two hits with four walks versus eight strikeouts for three earned runs before giving way to Nick Logan in the fifth.

Kameron Salazar, Grant Brooks, Gabe Moore, Ethan Garza and Josh Slabaugh recorded a hit apiece for the Warriors. Salazar’s was a double.

Carter Woody took the loss, giving up six runs, four earned, with eight hits and two walks versus three strikeouts in just 2 1/3 innings pitched. Jacob Krugman came in to relieve in the third but gave up five earned runs off two hits and four walks with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of work.

Northridge moves to 9-7 and stays atop the Northern Lakes Conference standings at 6-2.

Wawasee slides to 10-8 and 5-6 in the NLC. The Warriors host Plymouth Friday at 5 p.m.

PERU 7, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 5
Valley fell behind early and couldn’t rally all the way back in a Three Rivers Conference loss at Peru Wednesday.

Layne Prater took the loss on the mound for the Vikings, allowing seven runs on seven hits with three walks, two strikeouts and four Valley errors. Russ Paxton relieved Prater in the bottom of the sixth, giving up a hit while striking out two.

Valley was led offensively by Lucas Walters with two hits. Tanner Trippiedi, Payton Mills, Tucker Shull and Ethan Yates each added a hit apiece.

Payton Honn recorded two hits, and Blake Edwards batted in two runs for Peru.

Chance Ogle got the win, pitching a complete game while surrendering six hits and two walks with five strikeouts for five runs, only one earned.

Valley drops to 7-6 with an even 3-3 in the TRC with its fourth straight loss. The Vikings play a doubleheader at CMA Saturday at 10 a.m.