WAUKESHA, Wis. - Carroll baseball closed their weekend series against Elmhurst University on Sunday afternoon, falling by a score of 11-10. Across the three games over the weekend, the two teams combined for 75 hits, as Carroll (14-14, 5-7 CCIW) had 14 hits on Sunday, eight of which found gaps for extra bases. Elmhurst had 13 hits in game three, including three longballs.
Lane Scott had an outstanding afternoon in the box, going 4-for-5 with three doubles and scoring three runs. Jimmy Williams continued his strong weekend as well, going 3-for-5 with two RBI. Dalen Lamberson and Nathan Crick had two hits apiece, while Joey Appino, Gabe Lee, and Leo Matuga rounded out Carroll's offensive attack by reaching base with one hit each.
Hungry for revenge from Saturday's results, Elmhurst got the bats going early and often, jumping to a 7-0 advantage through the first three innings. Carroll gained traction in the fourth, as Scott scored on an RBI single from Lamberson and back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles with two outs gave Carroll four much needed runs.
Carroll continued momentum in the bottom of the fifth, as the Pios put up another crooked number thanks to Scott and Lamberson both crossing home plate once again as the Pioneers pulled within one run. That lead was immediately pushed back to three in the sixth, and extended two more runs in the seventh as Elmhurst outscored the Pios 4-0 over the next two innings.
Carroll continued to show resilience as Appino stepped into the box with bases loaded and two outs and sent a shot off the fence in right center field and diving into third base for a 3 RBI triple, his fourth of the season. Conor Dunlavy took the mound in relief in the ninth, retiring the side in order and giving Carroll a crucial quick inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Scott bounced a longball over the right field fence for a lead-off ground-rule double. Lamberson advanced Scott and Williams later sent him in with a single at the edge of the infield grass. However, with all the momentum against them, the Bluejays managed to strikeout two batters in the final inning as Carroll comeback efforts came up just short.
Five different Pioneers took the mound in the game, with Braden Lewis earning the start and seceding the defeat in three complete innings of action. Chayce Schultz, Tyler Burns, Ben Olsen, and Dunlavy combined to close the game, allowing four earned runs on five hits and combining for four strikeouts.
Carroll will get a midweek nonconference game in on Wednesday before returning to CCIW play over the weekend. That game will be at Marian University with first pitch slated for 5:30 p.m..
