HUNTINGTON, Ind. - Down to its final at-bat in the second game of the day, Grace’s baseball team rallied to score three runs to force extra innings. An inning later, the go-ahead run scored, giving the Lancers a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Huntington on Saturday afternoon.
Overall, the Lancers split the first two games of the series with the Foresters, falling 19-3 in the opener.
The first game of the day was all Foresters as they scored early and often to take control of the game. The home team plated 19 runs before Grace was able to get on the board with three runs in the sixth frame.
Grace’s bats were held in check for much of the game. The visitors had a trio of hits and a couple walks through the first five innings of play.
In the sixth, Matt Friesema led off the innings with a double. After a hit by pitch to Austin Carr, Grant Hartley lifted a ball deep over the outfield fence for a three-run home run. The long ball was his tenth of the season, one shy of tying the single season record.
Hartley finished the game 2 for 3 with a double, home run and three RBIs.
The nightcap was an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel. Both teams were held hitless and scoreless until late in the game.
Evan Etchison took his no-hitter into the fourth inning before allowing a pair of hits. He kept the shutout intact until the sixth inning when the Foresters rallied for three runs.
The Lancers managed just two baserunners through six innings, but were able to jump-start the offense when they needed it most. Trailing by three runs in its last at-bat, Grace put together a rally to extend the game.
Pat Danforth and Carr singled to get it started. Later, with runners on the corners, Ryan Stark added an RBI single to put up a run. The Lancers completed the comeback with a bases-loaded single from Cayden Calloway to tie the score at three.
The Foresters threatened to end the game in walk-off fashion, but Etchison and Owen Kirchenstein were able to shut the door, sending the game into extra innings.
In the eighth, Freisema earned a walk and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Danforth added another single to move the runner over to third. Carr executed the go-ahead effort with a squeeze bunt play that the pitcher was unable to handle, allowing Friesema to score from third.
The Lancers disposed of the Foresters in the bottom half of the inning to secure the 4-3 victory and earn the split.
Etchison finished the game with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. With those seven Ks, he tied the all-time career strikeouts mark (224) set back in 1971.
Danforth went 2 for 4 with a run, and Calloway added a 1 for 3 game with two RBIs.
The Lancers will continue the series with the Foresters on Monday with another doubleheader at Forest Glen Park. The series finale is set to begin at 1 p.m.

Softball Downs Pilots With Doubleheader Sweep
MISHAWAKA, Ind. - Grace College’s softball swept a Saturday doubleheader against Bethel and in the process clinched the season series against the Pilots.
The Lancers (12-20, 8-16, Crossroads League) two wins were by narrow margins in both contests, winning 7-4 in game one and 6-4 in game two.
Grace’s two starters each had a complete-game performance from the circle. Jeri Ellis pitched seven innings while allowing only two earned runs, she also picked up three hits in game two as the designated player. Freshman Chloe Huff got the nod in game two and earned the win after sending seven Pilot batters down on strikes.
The sweep comes at a critical time in the push for the Crossroads League Tournament. The Lancers are one of five teams, ranked fifth to ninth in the standings, that are separated by just three games.
In the first of Saturday’s two games, Bethel struck first with a run in the bottom of the second inning.
The Lancers were hitless until Halle Nett had a leadoff triple in the third frame which sparked Grace’s offense. Bela Duran reached base on four balls and then Ellis had a sacrifice fly that brought in Nett for the Lancers’ first run of the game.
Cassie Hayes pushed Grace into the lead with a single that allowed Duran to score from second base.
The Pilots were quick to respond in their half of the inning tying the game at two runs apiece.
Another leadoff extra-base hit kick started Grace’s offense in the fourth inning when Madison Gainey doubled down the left field line.
Avery Sleeth bunted to advance Gainey to third and Sage Ladig picked up the go-ahead RBI as the Lancers regained their lead at 3-2.
In the fifth inning Grace blew the game wide open as the Lancers’ first three batters of the inning all reached base safely. Kali Kahalekomo and Kyrah Lewis were both put in the game as pinch runners and subsequently scored to push Grace ahead 5-2.
The Lancers’ final tally of the frame came on a RBI double from Montana Brincks that gave the Lancers a 6-2 edge.
Tia O’Conner added one more marker to Grace’s total in the sixth inning which put the lead out of reach. The Pilots crossed two runs in the sixth inning as they tried to muster a comeback, but they couldn’t get any closer as the Lancers held on for the 7-4 victory.
In game two it was the Lancers who struck first thanks to a homerun from Gainey in the second inning.
Bethel answered back with three runs in the third inning but the damage was limited thanks to consecutive strikeouts from Huff to end the inning. The score remained the same until the fifth frame.
Kaitlyn Seagrave and Nett had back-to-back singles to start inning five and Ellis had an RBI single to draw Grace to within one.
Hayes then had a milestone RBI as she tied the game at three. Hayes’ RBI was the 93 of her career, which moves her into fifth-place in program history for career RBIs.
One inning later Grace doubled their score and grabbed a 6-3 advantage.
The first three batters loaded the bases for Grace,as two were hit by a pitch and Brincks earned a walk. Seagrave had a go-ahead sacrifice fly and Nett and Duran each singled in a run.
The Pilots added one run to their tally in the sixth inning but they couldn’t get any closer as the Lancers finished off the 6-4 victory to complete the sweep.
Grace returns to action next week with a loaded schedule. The Lancers travel to Taylor on Tuesday and Mt. Vernon on Wednesday before returning to face Huntington on Friday for the lone home date of the week. The Lancers will close out the stretch of four doubleheaders in five days with a trip to Goshen.