From University of Chicago Athletics
In its first action of the season, the University of Chicago baseball team defeated Lawrence University 8-3 and lost to Loras College 15-5 on Saturday.
UChicago 8, Lawrence 3
The Maroons received a strong pitching effort from starter Brenton Villasenor in game one. The sophomore right-hander earned the win with six innings of work. He struck out five, walked one and allowed four hits and two unearned runs. Sophomore Ravi Bakhai worked the final three innings with two hits, one unearned run and one walk to his credit.
UChicago's bats knocked out 12 hits in the game, led by senior outfielder Nicholas Toomey. The lefty went 3-for-5 with three RBI. Sophomore outfielder Connor Hickey and sophomore catcher Ian Bohn both tallied two hits. Defensively, the team committed six errors.
An unearned run gave Lawrence the 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. UChicago responded in the bottom half to tie it up. Hickey singled, stole second base and then scored on a single by Toomey. Another unearned run came in for the Vikings in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
However, the Maroons broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth. An error and two-straight singles loaded the bases with one out. Senior shortstop Ryan Krob delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing double. An RBI groundout by sophomore outfielder Josh Parks gave the team a 5-2 lead.
UChicago then put the game out of reach with three more scores in the sixth. Toomey doubled in two runs and an error plated the eighth run of the afternoon.
Loras 15, UChicago 5
In game two, the Maroons got off to a fast start with a trio of runs in the first frame. Senior first baseman Thomas Prescottsingled to center to drive in one, and Krob followed with a two-run single up the middle. But Loras struck right back with four runs in the bottom of the first. UChicago hurt its own cause with two errors and three wild pitches.
By the top of the fifth, the Maroons found themselves in an 8-3 hole. Toomey provided an RBI double to left in that frame, and a fielder's choice error in the seventh brought in their fifth run of the game. Loras tallied six runs in the sixth and one more in the eighth to account for the final score.
UChicago recorded eight hits and four errors. Toomey went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Freshman Jon Kruppe took the loss in his collegiate debut. He surrendered five runs (three earned) with three hits and four walks in two innings. Freshmen Jacob Petersen and Patrick Murphy made relief appearances out of the pen.