Baseball sweeps Wisconsin Lutheran

Joy Manweiler

The Lawrence University baseball team swept a double header against the Warriors of Wisconsin Lutheran College last Wednesday.
Led offensively by seniors Ben Webster and Tim Salm, who both hit grand slams, the Vikings (10-17, 4-10 MWC) won the first game 12-7 and the second 17-4.
In the first inning, Wisconsin Lutheran (WLC) got four runs, but sophomore Wes Otte, senior Doug McEneaney, senior Tommy Schmidt, and Salm all hit singles, and Otte, McEneaney, and Schmidt scored before the Warriors could get a single Viking out. Junior Frank Forseth hit a big triple that allowed Salm to score, which tied the game at 4-4.
WLC answered with one run in the second, but that’s all either team would score until the Vikes took over in the bottom of the fourth.
Freshman Robert Rashid opened the fourth with a single and freshman Ben Konetzke and sophomore T.J. Frett walked. When Otte hit a single, Rashid and Konetzke scored a run each. A fielder’s choice and an error put McEneaney and Schmidt back on base and allowed Otte to score. Salm’s first home run of the day put three more on the board for the Vikings, who left the inning with a 10-5 lead.
The Warriors made a feeble attempt to battle back in the fifth inning, scoring two runs, but in the sixth, Schmidt singled and Salm homer-ed, finishing out the scoring at 12-7.
Salm’s seven RBIs tied him for the second-most in a game in school history. Sophomore pitcher Andy Frelich got the win for the Vikes.
The Vikings were on fire at the start of the second game, scoring ten runs before Wisconsin Lutheran could answer.
In the first inning, McEneaney singled and Webster tripled. Schmidt singled, scoring both McEneaney and Webster.
In the second, the Vikes batted their entire lineup. Forseth and sophomore Andy Bremberger walked and Otte hit a single to load the bases. Forseth scored on a single by McEneaney and Bremberger scored when the Warrior pitcher walked Webster. The bases were still loaded when Salm came up to bat. He hit a grand slam, his third home run of the day, which put Lawrence up 8-0.
The third inning saw two more runs for the Vikings, as Otte added a home run to the day and McEneaney scored on a balk.
The fourth inning was the biggest for both teams, as WLC scored three of its four runs in the fourth. The Vikings weren’t about to let the Warriors have hope though, as they returned with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. Schmidt hit a single, junior Hawk Haiduke walked, and Forseth doubled, sending Schmidt home. Haiduke and Forseth scored on a Bremberger single. Otte and McEneaney singled, which meant the bases were loaded when Webster came to the plate and blasted a homer out to left field. His grand slam put the Vikes up 17-3, and also finished out the scoring for Lawrence.
Wisconsin Lutheran scored one run in the sixth, bringing the final score to 17-4. Junior pitcher Alex Fritsch got the win.
Less positively, Lawrence dropped two to Carroll College Sunday at home. The Pioneers won 12-6 and 14-2. Senior Adam Fritsch and Otte both hit home runs in the losses.
Lawrence’s Saturday doubleheader at Carroll College was postponed due to wet conditions at the field. The Vikes will conclude their season at Carroll on Tuesday, May 6 at 4 p.m.