EASTLAKE, Ohio – The Lake Erie College baseball team hosted the Trevecca Nazarene University Trojans at Classic Park on Saturday (March 31) afternoon.

Lake Erie rallied for a 5-3 game one win on a walk-off blast by Caleb Waller (Vermilion, Ohio / Vermilion). The Storm scored seven runs in the first two innings as they won the nightcap 8-1. Lake Erie is now 11-9-1 overall and 9-1 in the G-MAC.

GAME ONE

Trevecca opened the game with a run in the top of the second inning.

Lake Erie strung three hits together as they tied the game in the bottom of the second. Corbin Paxton (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview) lined a one-out double to left field. Nigel Williams (Cincinnati, Ohio / La Salle) singled before Blake Curry (Eaton, Ohio / Eaton) singled home Paxton.

Wes Birchmeier (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) gave the Storm a 2-1 lead in the third inning with a solo homerun into the bleachers in left field.

The Trojans scored runs in the fifth and seventh innings as they held a 3-2 advantage at the seventh inning stretch.

Lake Erie rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for the win. The Storm got a leadoff single by Ryan Carver (Orange Park, Fla. / Oakleaf) and then Paxton walked. Williams laid down a sacrifice bunt that erased Carver going to third. After a popout, Waller walked off with a three-run homerun to right field.

Williams had two hits as the Storm compiled eight hits in the game.

David Lemasters (Cortland, Ohio / Lakeview) pitched six innings with two runs allowed on six hits. He walked three and fanned six Trojan batters. Ryan Middendorf (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota East) followed with three innings of one-hit ball.

GAME TWO

Lake Erie jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Nathan Birtley (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) led off the game with a singled before Trace Peterson (Medina, Ohio / Medina) was hit by a pitch. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position as Rees Rua (Amherst, Ohio / Amherst Steele) doubled home both runners. A walk and a Trojans error loaded the bases with one out. Williams singled home Rua as the Storm led 3-0.

The Storm added four more runs on five hits in the second inning. Birtley reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a groundout. Birchmeier singled home Birtley for the first run of the inning. Birchmeier moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Rua walked and then Carver singled home Birchmeier. Paxton followed with a RBI single of his own. Trevecca made a pitching change and Williams closed the scoring with a RBI single. Lake Erie led 7-0 after two innings.

The Trojans scored a run in the fourth inning, cutting the lead to 7-1.

Lake Erie added the final run in the fifth inning. Waller opened the frame with a walk and moved to second on a failed pickoff throw by the first baseman. Birchmeier plated Waller with a RBI single to left field. Lake Erie led 8-1 and went on to win by that score.

Williams posted a four hit game with four singles. Birtley, Birchmeier and Paxton all had two hit games with Birtley and Rua scored two runs each. Lake Erie pounded out 12 hits as a team.

Evan Layne (Brooklyn, Ohio / Telecommunications) pitched a complete game with seven innings of one run ball. He scatted five hits with three strikeouts.

Lake Erie will host Kentucky Wesleyan on Sunday (April 1) with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM.

-LEC-