Lourdes got solid starting pitching as well as timely hitting on Tuesday afternoon at Mercy Field as the Gray Wolves swept a non-conference doubleheader from Grace 7-6 and 2-0 to snap a six-game losing skid.
 
"These were good team wins today," head coach Andy Ham said following the wins.  "Our pitching was dominant, which has been a strong part of our game all year.  In game one we did a good job of extending the lead and adding on.  We made some good defensive plays, especially in game two, to get out of jams as well."
 
Grace jumped on top in the opening inning of game one, plating an unearned run, but Lourdes immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning.  Garrett Jex (Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green H.S.) doubled and scored one batter later on a single by Marty Ramirez (Toledo, Ohio/Start H.S.). 
 
The Gray Wolves took advantage of two walks and a catcher's interference to load the bases in the second before Zak Laubscher (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg H.S.) delivered a two-run single to give the hosts the lead.  After the Lancers plated a run in the top of the third, Lourdes added to its advantage in the bottom half of the frame on a RBI triple by Matt York (Oregon, Ohio/Clay H.S.) and a run-scoring single by Nate Snow (Tucson, Ariz./Palo Verde H.S.).
 
The Lancers pulled to within one yet again with two runs in the fourth, but again Lourdes answered.  Laubscher doubled home Bill Laranga (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee H.S.) before scoring himself on a wild pitch to make it 7-4 Gray Wolves. 
 
Josh Payzant (Ann Arbor, Mich./Orchard Lake Saint Mary's H.S.) pitched 5.2 innings to get the win (1-0), yielding three earned runs and nine hits while striking out five.  He handed the ball to Zach Foster (Akron, Ohio/Barberton H.S.) with two outs and two on in the sixth and Foster induced an inning ending groundout.
 
Sean Koerber (Harper Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North H.S.) surrendered two seventh inning runs, but got the final out with a groundout to earn his third save of the year.
 
Laubscher and Snow each had two hits for Lourdes in the opener while Paul Blankley went 3-for-4 with two RBI for Grace.  The Lancers tallied 13 hits in the game.
 
Logan Grigsby suffered the loss (0-2), allowing five runs and five hits in three innings.
 
In game two Lourdes did all of its scoring in the second inning.  Andy Kefalos (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton H.S.) led off with a single and Nick Toth (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson H.S.) reached on a catcher's interference.  Snow grounded out to play Kefalos and Tim Ward (Mount Orab, Ohio/Western Brown H.S.) followed two batters later with a triple to plate Toth.
 
Zack Zsolcsak (Brownstown, Mich./Woodhaven H.S.) did the rest on the mound, pitching six shutout innings to earn the win (2-2).  He surrendered just three hits, walked four, and struck out three, and escaped a first and third jam with no one out in the sixth to keep the shutout intact.
 
Brandon Holt (Ravenna, Ohio/Ravenna H.S.) completed the shutout and three-hitter to earn his first save of the season.
 
Kyle Brunner suffered the loss (0-2) for Grace (13-26), allowing just one earned run and three hits in four innings on the hill.
 
Lourdes (11-30) will continue its homestand on Wednesday afternoon, returning to Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action to host Northwestern Ohio in doubleheader action.  First pitch in game one of the twinbill is set for 2 p.m. at Mercy Field.