April 29, Lawrence traveled to Beloit College where they vied to keep their current hot streak alive against a Beloit ball club eager to end their final season series on a high note.
Game one was clear sailing for the Vikings, who combined for a team-centered absolute domination of Beloit. Freshman Alex Fritsch took the mound for Lawrence and looked like a carbon copy of the hurler he was against Carroll April 23-untouchable. Over six innings, he held Beloit to three runs and dealt with just nine base runners.
The three earned runs were more than enough for a Vikings team who fed off each other, recording hit after hit in explosive third, fourth and sixth innings and scoring 11 runs without a home run.
Hustle around the bases and hitting with runners in scoring position was key on Saturday. Kevin Fitzsimmons continued his torrid pace for the Vikes going 2-4 with four RBIs and two runs. Andrew Wong and Billy Bodle combined for four hits and four RBIs.
In game two the Vikings’ bats cooled a little, which made for a much closer game. B.J Chase had a quality start for Lawrence, allowing four hits over 6 2/3 innings and striking out seven.
But the hero of the game was undoubtedly freshman utility man Franklin Forseth who inherited a tied game in the seventh and held Beloit scoreless for 2 1/3 innings while Lawrence managed to manufacture a run on a Bodle double, a wild pitch and a Tommy Schmidt single. Schmidt went 3-4 on the day and got the game winner.
The series resumed after the sojourn to Beloit when the Vikings hosted Beloit for two more on Tuesday. If game one in Beloit was considered a triumph, game one in Appleton was a Herculean accomplishment.
Lawrence took complete command of the game, prevailing 15-0. Southpaw Chris Clouthier and freshman reliever Zack Patrick Riley combined for a two-hitter while walking none and putting out five.
You hear it all the time-hitting is contagious-and Tuesday the Vikings proved just that. Fitzsimmons had a monster game going 2-5 with four RBIs and two runs. He also homered and added to his prestigious Viking home run record.
Andrew Wong reached base in every at bat, knocked in two and scored twice. Brad Hauser celebrated three hits, three runs and three RBIs, and every other Lawrence starter came away with at least one hit.
Game four was the toughest battle of the series for the Vikes. Junior Josh Ritchie showed again that he is a workhorse, going nine innings and giving up four runs while allowing just eight hits. But Viking bats had run out of gas and produced just two runs. Brad Hauser went 2-4 in the 4-2 loss, which ended the Vikings’ four-game winning streak.
Baseball takes three from Beloit
