The Lindenwood baseball team (25-18, 14-8 GLVC) cruised to a pair of victories on Saturday, knocking off the host Rockhurst Hawks (15-28, 5-17 GLVC) in Kansas City, Mo.
The Lions put on an offensive display in game one, downing the Hawks by a score of 16-5, while earning a 9-0 shutout in the nightcap.
Alex Gauspohl went 5-for-8 at the dish, driving in four and scoring three times.
Ryan O'Connell tossed a gem in game two, striking out eight en route to a complete-game shutout.
GAME ONE OVERVIEW
Tied at one apiece through three innings, the Lions broke out the bats and put five straight crooked numbers on the scoreboard to build a run-rule, 16-5 victory. Gauspohl capped the first of three consecutive three-run frames with a single that plated
Austin Schmitt to grow Lindenwood's advantage to 4-1. Leading 10-4 in the seventh,
Jayce Maag tallied the Lions' lone extra-base hit of the contest with a two-run triple to left-center field, with
Calvin Nowak and
Ambrose Russo following up with an RBI.Â
Nowack then singled again in the eighth to score Gauspohl and
Sam Kissane to lead by 11.
Chad Donze closed out the win in the final frame, inducing one groundout.Â
GAME ONE LEADERS
Michael Ward (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Gauspohl (2-for-4, 3 R, RBI)
Nowack (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 3 R)
GAME TWO OVERVIEW
Lindenwood wasted no time in the second game, scoring five runs in the first inning. Gauspohl provided the only run-scoring hit of the frame, doubling home Schmitt and
Kolby Schulte, with Kissane crossing the plate soon after following a wild pitch.
The Lions added four more runs in the fourth, as
Jack Meyer singled to plate Russo and Schulte. Maag then launched a fly ball to center field for a sacrifice fly to chase home Schmitt.
O'Connell was masterful in the win, allowing just two hits and issuing one walk. The senior lowered his season ERA to 2.30 with his shutout performance.
GAME TWO LEADERS
Gauspohl (3-for-4, 3 RBI)
Meyer (1-for-3, 2 RBI)
O'Connell (7.0 IP, 8 K)
UP NEXT
The Lions look for the series win on Sunday, with the first of two contests at Rockhurst scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
