GRAYSLAKE, IL – The Bay Norse Baseball Team weren't able to snap their current losing streak, falling to The College of Lake County Lancers (2-4), dropping a doubleheader by scores of 2-1 and 9-2 on a cold and windy afternoon.
The Lancers took an early lead, making a leadoff walk payoff. With one out, Jaxon Spiegelberg (SO, Neenah, WI) grounded a ball through the right sided driving in the run. The Norse managed to limit the damage, stranding two runners on in the inning.
Lake County added to their lead in the fourth. After being hit by pitch, Jake Hesseling (SO, Janesville, WI) attempted a steal of second. A controversial no call after the batter swung and carried his momentum over the plate sent the throw down to second into center field, allowing Hesseling to advance to third. The batter, Mike Herubin (SO, Lake Villa, IL) managed to lift a fly ball to right that scored the runner, putting the Norse down two runs.
Meanwhile, Austin Vaas (SO, Fox Lake, IL) had the Bay College offense baffled. He was working a perfect game until two outs in the sixth, when Drake Forrest (FR, Gladstone, MI) hit a hard ground ball to right just out of reach of the third baseman for a hit. He would be stranded at first.
The Norse put together a two-out rally in the seventh. David Ibn Ezra (SO, Tel Aviv, Israel) and Nick Goebert (SO, Werl, Germany) drew walks. Ian Schwalbach (FR, Gladstone, MI) lined a base hit into left, bringing Ibn Ezra to the plate and putting the tying run in scoring position. Vaas snuck out of the jam however, as Jared Crow (SO, Gladstone, MI) drove a hard hit fly ball into left. However the wind blowing straight in from center at upwards of 20 mph caused the ball to hang up just enough for the left fielder to get under it make the play for the third out.
Vaas ended up with a complete game victory, giving up just two hits, walking two, and striking out six.
Carson Shea (SO, Gladstone, MI) came out on the wrong end of the pitcher's duel. He threw six innings, gave up six hits, two runs, one earned, one walk, while striking out three.
Tim Jean (SO, Libertyville, IL) collected two hits in three at bats.
In game two the Norse saw a first-inning threat go by the wayside. A walk and a catcher's interference gave Bay runners at first and second with no one out, and a one out walk loaded them up. A strikeout and a groundball left three on in the inning. The Norse left a runner in scoring position in the second as well, as Ben Snyder (SO, Powers, MI) was left standing at second after a one out double.
Defensive miscues plagued the Norse in the bottom of the second. After a leadoff single, an aggressive decision to try for the lead runner on a sacrifice bunt led to an off target throw, sending the runner to third. Ethan Hill (FR, Elgin, IL) drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Two more errors would extend the inning further and the Lancers capitalized with an additional three hits. By the time the Norse were able to secure the final out of the inning, five unearned runs had crossed the plate.
Bay got on the board in the third. Back-to-back-to-back singles by Tanner Halvorson (SO, Eau Claire, WI), Schwalbach, and Goebert plated a run with two outs, but the Norse could do no further damage in the inning, leaving two on.
Lake Forrest managed to tack on a run in the fourth, but the Norse answered back in the sixth. Snyder singled to lead off the inning, and an error on a fly ball put runners at first and second. Snyder was retired on a fielder's choice ground ball the next batter. With one out Hector Araguayan (FR, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) hit a ground ball up the middle that seemed destined for centerfield. The Lancer second baseman Valetine Cerna (FR, Ingleside, IL) made a spectacular play, fielding the ball well behind second, tagging the bag, and then throwing on to first for what looked to be an inning ending double play. Upon appeal it was revealed that the throw drew the first baseman off the bag just before the ball arrived, allowing the inning to continue. Ibn Ezra took advantage, lining a ball into left to score Forrest. The Norse failed to turn in a big inning however, leaving two runners stranded.
The Lancers extended their lead in the sixth, taking advantage of an error, three walks, and a hit by pitch to plate three runs. It would put the game out of reach for the Norse, giving the Lancers a sweep in their home opener.
Jayden Sus (FR, Merrill, WI) picked up the win, throwing an inning in relief. He gave up a hit and a walk, but managed to work out of a jam.
Dalton Graham (FR, Sault Ste. Marie) was tagged with the loss, despite giving up just one earned run in five innings of work. He scattered eight hits, gave up six runs, and struck out three, while walking three.
Tony Krueger (SO, Appleton, WI) and Tyler Tetzke (FR, Appleton, WI) both collected a pair of hits for the Lancers.
Snyder finished the game three for three with a double.
Bay left 11 runners on base in the game.
"This is a team that has played well in spurts," said Head Coach Mike Pankow, "but has yet to really put together a full game. We are playing like a really young team, inconsistent offense, and hurting ourselves by giving up free bases either defensively or on the mound. If we are able to grow up fast, we have a lot of potential. I am optimistic that we will do so, I am proud of this team and their effort after taking their lumps the last few times out."
The Norse will take another trip to Illinois next weekend. On Friday they will start a three game series with The College of DuPage with a nine inning game starting at 3 pm. On Saturday the series concludes with a doubleheader starting at 2 pm. The weekend continues on Sunday with a doubleheader at Rock Valley starting at 1 pm. That three-game series ends on Monday with a single game starting at 2:30 pm.