Lancer Baseball Wins Second Straight In Sunshine State
March 4, 2020 at 5:26 a.m.
Lancer Baseball Wins Second Straight In Sunshine State
By Grace College Sports Information-
The Lancers (4-7) used a balanced offensive production and strong pitching to outlast the Saints (0-13).
Both teams scored in the first inning, and the Saints led 3-2 after two innings.
Grace scored two runs in the bottom of the first when Chris Griffin and Alex Rich crossed home plate.
The Lancers took the lead with a two-run fourth, scoring on a two-run homer by Sam Newkirk. But the Saints rallied in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.
Grace manufactured three runs over the next two innings, and the Lancers’ pitching took care of the rest.
In the bottom of the sixth, Griffin singled to lead off the frame, and Rich was hit by a pitch. They were left on base as the next two Lancers were retired.
But David Anderson laced a two-out, two-run triple to give Grace the lead for good at 6-4.
The Lancers found an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a two-out RBI double from Newkirk.
Grace’s bullpen handled the rest of the game from the mound. Jake Decker, Mason Meyer and Bret Wilhelmi combined to pitch the final six innings, yielding just one run between them.
Decker struck out four in four innings, allowing one run and three hits to earn the victory. Wilhelmi tossed a scoreless ninth inning to record the save.
Newkirk finished the day 2 of 4 with one run and three RBIs, and Rich was hit by two pitches, scored twice and also had a hit.
The Lancers are back on the diamond Friday and Saturday for a three-game series with Bethel. The games will count as the first Crossroads League competitions of the season.
Lady Lancers split with William Woods
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Grace’s softball team split a doubleheader with William Woods on Tuesday afternoon.
Both games were pitching duels with the winner of each surrendering just one run. Grace won the opener 2-1 before losing in the second game 3-1.
The opening game saw the Owls (7-6) strike first. William Woods capitalized off a pair of Lady Lancer errors to go up 1-0 in the top of the first.
Grace (2-6) answered back in the bottom half of the second with a pair of runs. Morgan Tapscott led off the inning with bang, drilling a solo home run over the center field fence.
Freshman Laikyn Lowe then drew a walk to start a rally. Kaitlyn Heffner blasted a line drive, allowing pinch runner Caroline Kitchen to cross the plate for the go-ahead run.
Grace would threaten again in the third after Jaden Cardoso stole third base, but the Lady Lancers were unable to extend the lead.
Unable to find another run for the remainder of the game, the Lady Lancers relied on Dori Knight to bring home the win. Knight pitched all seven innings, allowing just five hits and no earned runs.
The second game again saw the pitchers dominate with neither team scoring until the fourth inning.
The Owls scored a pair runs off a one-out ground ball single that found its way to the outfield. William Woods extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth.
Grace plated a run in the seventh to break up the shutout when Carly Ruiz singled in Lowe. The Lady Lancers had the potential game tying run at the plate, but Grace was unable to complete the comeback losing 3-1.
Jerri Ellis pitched all six innings for the Lady Lancers, striking out three.
For the day, Heffner went 3 for 7 with an RBI, and Lowe reached base four times during the doubleheader.
Grace will be in action again on Thursday as they take on Ave Maria (11-3).
Grace tracksters primed for NAIA Nationals
BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Grace College track and field team will take its largest group ever to the 2020 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Brookings, S.D., this week. The Lancers’ group of qualifiers includes 10 men and 6 women who will compete in a total of 13 events.
“This group of athletes has broken new ground and raised expectations for our entire program,” said head coach Jeff Raymond. “With nine sophomores and four freshmen among those qualified to compete this week, we are both thrilled by this year's success and excited about the future.”
The athletes attending the national championships helped establish nine new indoor school records. They also propelled the Lancers to program-best third-place finishes in both men's and women's NCCAA Indoor Championships, and helped produce 15 All-Crossroads League performances.
Isaac Brown, a sophomore competing in the high jump, is the only Grace athlete who competed at last year's indoor national meet. This year, the school record holder (at 6-foot-9.75) will travel with more than a dozen additional teammates.
In addition to Brown, the men's team will have individual competitors in the 200-meter race (John Green), 400 meters (Dylan Felger), 800 meters (Kyle Smith) and 1000 meters (Isaac Beatty).
The Lancers are also qualified in the 4x800 relay and the distance medley relay. Relay runners include Felger, Beatty, Kyle Smith, Luke Smith, Dimitri Margaritidis, Logan Rufenacht, Korry Hamlin and Brady Willard.
The women's team will feature a pair of competitors in the 200 meters (Nordia Campbell / Lyne Camara) and the 400 meters (Camara / Suzanne Sickafoose). Sophomore Heather Plastow will compete in the mile run.
The women also qualified in the 4x400 relay, with Camara, Campbell and Sickafoose being joined by Ashley Stoltzfus and/or Julia Malson.
Each of the three relays will compete in the preliminaries on Thursday. First round competition for individual events will be held on Friday. Finals for most events will be on Saturday.
Grace erupts for 18 runs
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Grace’s baseball team erupted on offense during an 18-6 victory over Trinity Christian on Monday.
Sam Newkirk was dynamic at bat, going 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored, and David Anderson went 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs.
The Lancers wasted little time jumping on the scoreboard. Grace racked up nine runs over the first three innings, and the Trolls could not respond.
Houston Haney, Anderson, Ethan Brooks and Newkirk all had RBI doubles in the early innings to spark Grace’s offense. A single from Alex Rich brought in Grant Buschman, making the score 9-1 in the third inning.
Grace was quiet in the fourth inning — the only stanza where Grace did not push across a run.
Rich and Jeff Pawlik came home to score in the fifth inning, and the Lancers tallied six more runs in the sixth.
Brooks drove in two runs in the sixth, and Chris Griffin, Rich, Pawlik and Ryan Bertke also had RBI hits in the frame.
Xavier Harris tossed the first 3.1 innings from the mound, yielding two unearned runs with five strikeouts. Buschman and Hunter Schumacher threw the final innings in relief; Schumacher did not allow a hit or walk in 1.2 innings, striking out three batters.
Brooks finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs, and Pawlik went 3 for 5 with four runs scored.
Rich amassed 2 runs, 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 RBIs, Griffin was 3 for 5 with two runs, and Jaron Mullet ended the day 2 for 3 with 3 runs, 2 walks and 1 RBI.
The Lancers (4-7) used a balanced offensive production and strong pitching to outlast the Saints (0-13).
Both teams scored in the first inning, and the Saints led 3-2 after two innings.
Grace scored two runs in the bottom of the first when Chris Griffin and Alex Rich crossed home plate.
The Lancers took the lead with a two-run fourth, scoring on a two-run homer by Sam Newkirk. But the Saints rallied in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.
Grace manufactured three runs over the next two innings, and the Lancers’ pitching took care of the rest.
In the bottom of the sixth, Griffin singled to lead off the frame, and Rich was hit by a pitch. They were left on base as the next two Lancers were retired.
But David Anderson laced a two-out, two-run triple to give Grace the lead for good at 6-4.
The Lancers found an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a two-out RBI double from Newkirk.
Grace’s bullpen handled the rest of the game from the mound. Jake Decker, Mason Meyer and Bret Wilhelmi combined to pitch the final six innings, yielding just one run between them.
Decker struck out four in four innings, allowing one run and three hits to earn the victory. Wilhelmi tossed a scoreless ninth inning to record the save.
Newkirk finished the day 2 of 4 with one run and three RBIs, and Rich was hit by two pitches, scored twice and also had a hit.
The Lancers are back on the diamond Friday and Saturday for a three-game series with Bethel. The games will count as the first Crossroads League competitions of the season.
Lady Lancers split with William Woods
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Grace’s softball team split a doubleheader with William Woods on Tuesday afternoon.
Both games were pitching duels with the winner of each surrendering just one run. Grace won the opener 2-1 before losing in the second game 3-1.
The opening game saw the Owls (7-6) strike first. William Woods capitalized off a pair of Lady Lancer errors to go up 1-0 in the top of the first.
Grace (2-6) answered back in the bottom half of the second with a pair of runs. Morgan Tapscott led off the inning with bang, drilling a solo home run over the center field fence.
Freshman Laikyn Lowe then drew a walk to start a rally. Kaitlyn Heffner blasted a line drive, allowing pinch runner Caroline Kitchen to cross the plate for the go-ahead run.
Grace would threaten again in the third after Jaden Cardoso stole third base, but the Lady Lancers were unable to extend the lead.
Unable to find another run for the remainder of the game, the Lady Lancers relied on Dori Knight to bring home the win. Knight pitched all seven innings, allowing just five hits and no earned runs.
The second game again saw the pitchers dominate with neither team scoring until the fourth inning.
The Owls scored a pair runs off a one-out ground ball single that found its way to the outfield. William Woods extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth.
Grace plated a run in the seventh to break up the shutout when Carly Ruiz singled in Lowe. The Lady Lancers had the potential game tying run at the plate, but Grace was unable to complete the comeback losing 3-1.
Jerri Ellis pitched all six innings for the Lady Lancers, striking out three.
For the day, Heffner went 3 for 7 with an RBI, and Lowe reached base four times during the doubleheader.
Grace will be in action again on Thursday as they take on Ave Maria (11-3).
Grace tracksters primed for NAIA Nationals
BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Grace College track and field team will take its largest group ever to the 2020 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Brookings, S.D., this week. The Lancers’ group of qualifiers includes 10 men and 6 women who will compete in a total of 13 events.
“This group of athletes has broken new ground and raised expectations for our entire program,” said head coach Jeff Raymond. “With nine sophomores and four freshmen among those qualified to compete this week, we are both thrilled by this year's success and excited about the future.”
The athletes attending the national championships helped establish nine new indoor school records. They also propelled the Lancers to program-best third-place finishes in both men's and women's NCCAA Indoor Championships, and helped produce 15 All-Crossroads League performances.
Isaac Brown, a sophomore competing in the high jump, is the only Grace athlete who competed at last year's indoor national meet. This year, the school record holder (at 6-foot-9.75) will travel with more than a dozen additional teammates.
In addition to Brown, the men's team will have individual competitors in the 200-meter race (John Green), 400 meters (Dylan Felger), 800 meters (Kyle Smith) and 1000 meters (Isaac Beatty).
The Lancers are also qualified in the 4x800 relay and the distance medley relay. Relay runners include Felger, Beatty, Kyle Smith, Luke Smith, Dimitri Margaritidis, Logan Rufenacht, Korry Hamlin and Brady Willard.
The women's team will feature a pair of competitors in the 200 meters (Nordia Campbell / Lyne Camara) and the 400 meters (Camara / Suzanne Sickafoose). Sophomore Heather Plastow will compete in the mile run.
The women also qualified in the 4x400 relay, with Camara, Campbell and Sickafoose being joined by Ashley Stoltzfus and/or Julia Malson.
Each of the three relays will compete in the preliminaries on Thursday. First round competition for individual events will be held on Friday. Finals for most events will be on Saturday.
Grace erupts for 18 runs
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Grace’s baseball team erupted on offense during an 18-6 victory over Trinity Christian on Monday.
Sam Newkirk was dynamic at bat, going 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored, and David Anderson went 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs.
The Lancers wasted little time jumping on the scoreboard. Grace racked up nine runs over the first three innings, and the Trolls could not respond.
Houston Haney, Anderson, Ethan Brooks and Newkirk all had RBI doubles in the early innings to spark Grace’s offense. A single from Alex Rich brought in Grant Buschman, making the score 9-1 in the third inning.
Grace was quiet in the fourth inning — the only stanza where Grace did not push across a run.
Rich and Jeff Pawlik came home to score in the fifth inning, and the Lancers tallied six more runs in the sixth.
Brooks drove in two runs in the sixth, and Chris Griffin, Rich, Pawlik and Ryan Bertke also had RBI hits in the frame.
Xavier Harris tossed the first 3.1 innings from the mound, yielding two unearned runs with five strikeouts. Buschman and Hunter Schumacher threw the final innings in relief; Schumacher did not allow a hit or walk in 1.2 innings, striking out three batters.
Brooks finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs, and Pawlik went 3 for 5 with four runs scored.
Rich amassed 2 runs, 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 RBIs, Griffin was 3 for 5 with two runs, and Jaron Mullet ended the day 2 for 3 with 3 runs, 2 walks and 1 RBI.
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