WIXOM, Mich. – The Lourdes baseball team (7-9, 1-1 in WHAC) split their first WHAC series of the season against Rochester Christian (8-9, 1-1 in WHAC), losing 0-4 in the first game and winning 17-7 in the second game.

The Gray Wolves and Warriors are both towards the middle of the pack in the early conference standings with their 1-1 WHAC records and near-.500 overall records.

Game 1: L, 0-4
Lourdes was shutout for the second consecutive game after losing 0-6 against Georgetown College on Wednesday afternoon. Brenden Holland got the start for the Gray Wolves and got his first loss of the season after coming into the game 2-0. The senior from Riga, Michigan threw six full innings with four runs allowed, yet only two of them were earned. He threw eight strikeouts and two walks in his 98-pitch outing.

The first of the two earned RCU runs was a second inning solo homerun by Puerto Rican outfielder Issander Vega. The second earned run was also a solo homerun, this time it was hit by Beau Falkenhagen in the sixth inning.

Lourdes' freshman second baseman Jace Bloomer had a fielding and throwing error that let in two more runs to put the Warriors up 4-0.

Offensively, Lourdes hit six singles but couldn't get any traction on the base baths. Leadoff hitting third baseman Landon Brown led the team by getting on base three times (twice via walks). Brown also had a stolen base in the game.

First baseman Alex Dupree continued his multi-hit streak with another two-hit performance in game one. Dupree exited the game batting over .400. Despite Brown and Dupree's contributions, the Gray Wolves couldn't get enough to overcome the four run Warriors lead.

Game 2: W, 17-7
"Game two was a complete 180," Coach Bradford said postgame. The Gray Wolves scored a season-high 17 runs on a season-high 19 hits. RCU's nine defensive errors also helped Lourdes run away with the game fairly early.

Everyone contributed on the Gray Wolves' offense. Landon Brown, Alex Dupree, Andrew Arnston, Will Brose, Jase Kennedy, and Jace Bloomer all had multiple hits, Eight Lourdes batters had at least one hit.

The Lourdes scoring started in the first inning with a Drake Sekinger RBI single. RCU then took a brief 2-1 lead after an Aiden Alspaugh two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning off of Lourdes starter JJ Foti.

Foti, the freshman starting pitcher, threw a solid four-inning game with five earned runs, six hits allowed, four walks and four strikeouts.

Morgan Kleps, the lone Gray Wolves hitter without a hit, still contributed to the offense with an RBI sacrifice fly in the second inning, cutting the RCU lead to 2-3.

Lourdes regained the lead in the third inning and then some after scoring six runs. Senior catcher Andrew Arnston scored two runs on a rocketed double to start off the frame. Then, designated hitter Will Brose continued his hot start to the year at the dish with an RBI single to score Arnston. Brose went two-for-five with three runs scored and an RBI in the game. Arnston went two-for-five with two RBI's and a run scored.

Jase Kennedy and Jace Bloomer then each got on base and scored a couple more unearned runs to push the lead to 7-3. The lineup then batted back around to Alex Dupree as the power-hitting first baseman singled to score the sixth run of the inning.

The Warriors kept fighting as they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fifth to push their total to seven.

The problem for RCU was that the Lourdes offense was just getting started. The Gray Wolves had a three-run fourth inning and a two-run fifth inning to keep their six-run lead at 13-7 heading into the sixth. The stretch included a big Landon Brown single, a few more RCU errors, and a moonshot two-run homerun by Jase Kennedy. The junior outfielder now has two homeruns and seven RBI's on the year. He also went three-for-four with five runs scored, three RBI's and two walks total in the game two win.

With the Warriors on the brink, Alex Dupree joined the RBI party with a solo homerun in the sixth inning and an RBI double in the eighth. Dupree went five-for-seven with a homer, three RBI's, and two runs scored in the game. Dupree now has an 11-game hitting streak heading into the Aquinas series.

Morgan Kleps got his second RBI of the game in the ninth inning after scoring Jase Kennedy on a groundout to second base. AJ Brinson also scored a run after walking in the ninth, giving Lourdes the 10-run win.

On the pitching side, Zane Mullins came in for Foti in the fifth and was credited with the win. Mullins now has one win, one loss, and one save on the season. He threw for four innings in the win, giving up two earned runs with three strikeouts.

Noah Maniaci came in the game in the ninth to seal the win. He threw 11 pitches and only gave up one hit in the final frame.  

Stats
Alex Dupree still leads the team in most offensive categories, with a .439 average (leads WHAC), 25 hits, and 13 RBI's. Landon Brown is second on the team with 13 hits and a .277 average; he also leads the team with five doubles. Andrew Arnston leads the team in homeruns with three. Brenden Holland leads the team with 21 strikeouts and is second in their main starting rotation with a 4.37 E.R.A.

Coach Bradford's Postgame Comments
"We had opportunities in the first game to get something going in the early innings and we just didn't get it done," Coach Bradford said. "Brendan pitched great in the first game and we didn't hit. From the start in game two, we executed and strung together quality at bats. Pitchers, once again, did their job and gave us a chance to win." 

Next Up
Lourdes' home opener takes place at Mercy Field tomorrow at 3pm against Aquinas. The Gray Wolves will be facing the Saints for a doubleheader.