Last Saturday the Lawrence University Baseball team travelled to Waukesha, Wisc. to take on Midwestern Conference foe Carroll University. It has been a season of split doubleheaders for the Vikings, while at times frustrating, has quite frankly been a major improvement. On Saturday, thanks to the stellar work of freshman pitcher Drew Doares and a lively Lawrence offense, the Vikings won the first match-up 7-0 but dropped the nightcap 14-8.
Doares, who threw his second complete game shut out of the season, was nothing short of dominant. He struck out as many hitters (6) as he allowed reach base. Doares was subsequently named the Midwestern Conference Pitcher of the week and with the win Doares improved to 4-5 on the season with a 5.20 ERA. On the offensive side of the victory, Jake Gordon, Sam Kossow and Gabe Henriques all had multi hit games while Phil Wisniewski came up big with a homerun.
In the night-cap, Lawrence was down 8-5 in the Sixth inning when the hot hitting junior infielder Wisniewski popped a three run shot out of the park, knotting up the score at 8. The game remained tied until the 8th inning when Wisniewski’s clutch hitting went to waste as Carroll busted out in a big way. In the bottom half of the frame the Pioneers came up big with six runs bringing the score to 14-8 and giving them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Lawrence let an opportunity slip as Carroll, the only team below the Vikings in the MWC standings, is a team we “should” have beat.
A second doubleheader at home in Appleton against Carroll was scheduled for Sunday but due to the torrential rains was rescheduled for Thursday, May 10. At this point, Lawrence has been eliminated from the Conference tournament, which is always disappointing. However, the number in the win column this season has dramatically improved and come season’s end that’s what the guys should focus on.