WAUKESHA, Wis. - Thomas Ward, a junior first baseman from Waukesha, Wis., went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs as the Carroll University baseball team defeated Concordia University Wisconsin 9-8 in a sunny, mild nonconference game at Frame Park on Tuesday afternoon.
It was the highly anticipated home opener for Carroll, which earned its third consecutive victory to improve to 3-1 overall.
The memorable performance took on added significance as it was the Pioneers' fifth consecutive victory in its home opener (excluding the canceled 2020 season) and third straight since Frame Park was renovated in 2021.
Ward became the 22nd player in the rich, storied history of the Carroll program to homer twice in a single game, equaling the team record.
CUW, 0-4 overall, led 2-0 early on but the Pioneers tied the game in the bottom of the third on a run-scoring single by Ben Hurt Haller and RBI double to left-center field from Cole Haugh.
CUW, which finished with 13 hits, answered with four runs on four hits to regain a 6-2 lead in the top of the fourth.
Carroll trimmed the deficit to 6-4 in the fourth on a towering two-out, two-run homer to left-center field by Ward.
CUW extended the lead to 8-4 with what proved to be its final two runs in the fifth, setting the stage for a resilient Carroll rally.
The Pioneers cut the lead to 8-6 in the sixth on Ward's second two-out two-run homer of the contest.
Carroll scored three runs on three hits in what became a decisive seventh, highlighted by a clutch RBI single from Lane Scott, a run-scoring sacrifice fly out by Joey Appino and game-winning single to right field from Eli Syverson.
Carroll finished with a nine-hit offensive attack, including four for extra bases.
The Pioneers utilized five pitchers including starter Scotty Starovich, Nolan Fehrman, Connor Kelly, Josh Streu and Connor Nolen, combining for 10 strikeouts in the process.
Streu, a 6-foot-4 senior left-hander from Marengo, Ill., pitched an unblemished seventh to earn his first victory of the season.
Streu was a resourceful, stabilizing force in the critical momentum-shifting inning, facing three batters and retiring the side on 15 pitches.
Nolen, a 6-3 junior right-hander from Poplar Grove, Ill., worked the final two innings to earn his first save of the year, allowing no runs on one hit with five strikeouts and two walks in facing nine batters on 44 pitches.
Concordia attempted to rally with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth but couldn't take advantage.
Nolen worked out of the pressure-packed situation by responding with a strikeout and game-ending line-out to second base.