WAUKESHA, Wis. - Carroll University (8-11, 0-3 CCIW) rounded out the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 8-6 victory over visiting Wisconsin Lutheran College (8-9, 1-2 NACC) on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pios wasted no time offensively. Ethan Fleigle singled to lead off the bottom of the first and scored two batters later on a Dylan Callahan homerun through the gusting winds to left field for the early 2-0 lead.
Carroll would add another pair of runs in the second. Sam Harmeyer would single to start the inning and score one batter later on a Brad Vosters RBI double to give Carroll the 3-0 lead. Fleigle would immediately follow with a single to plate Voster and give the Pios the 4-0 lead after two innings.
Wisconsin Lutheran would plate four runs in the top of the third inning to knot the score at 4-4. All four runs were unearned, all coming after a two-out fielding error that would have ended the inning.
The Pioneers would retake the lead in the bottom of the third. Harmeyer would reach on an error to start the inning and score on Voster's second double in as many at bats to give the Pios the 5-4 lead.
The Warriors would retake the lead in the top of the fifth, all after two-outs and no runners on base. Four consecutive single, three of them ground balls through left side of the infield would lead to two runs and a WLC 6-4 lead.
Carroll would tie the game in the sixth. Mitch Massino would single to lead off the inning and get lifted for pinch-runner Matt Pestel. Pestel would promptly steal second and advance to third on an overthrow by the catcher. Two pitches later Pestel would score on a wild pitch to knot the game at six.
The Pios would retake the lead for good in the seventh. Harmeyer, leading off the inning for the third time, would collect his second hit to start the rally. Vosters would bunt Hameyer to second and a Matt Putman single would put runners at the corners with one out. Callahan would then single home Harmeyer and put Putman at second. Petyon McCray, who had entered for Pestel defensively, would then collect his first collegiate hit to drive home Putman and push the Carroll advantage to 8-6.
That's all the margin the Carroll bullpen would require. Mike Costanzo entered the game in the sixth, in relief of fellow freshman, Alan Spurley who had worked the first five innings. Costanzo (1-1) would work a scoreless sixth and seventh innings to pick up the win. Freshman Zach Tuss would work a scoreless eighth. Sophomore Nick Brigham would enter in the ninth following a lead-off double. Brigham would induce a jam job grounder to third, that was bobbbled allowing the runner to reach safely. However, with no outs Brigham would record the strikeout for the first out and draw the game ending 6-4-3 double play to seal the Pio victory. Brigham would earn his first career save.
Carroll will return to conference action this weekend as they host Illinois Wesleyan in a double-header on Saturday at noon and a single game on Sunday at noon.
