UTICA, Mich. – In game one against Rochester Christian, Rochester Christian scored early and never let Lawrence Tech settle in, defeating the Blue Devils 7-0. The visitors took control with a two-run first inning, then added on in the second, third, fourth and sixth behind a complete-game shutout.
The decisive stretch came right away. With the first run being scored by a double to right-center in the top of the first, followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead. Lawrence Tech created an immediate chance to answer in the bottom half when
Ty Schornak opened with a bunt single and
Brady Rogers drew a walk, but the Blue Devils left the runners stranded.
Rochester Christian applied pressure in nearly every inning. For Lawrence Tech, Schornak's bunt single in the first helped produce one of the team's best early opportunities, but the Blue Devils were unable to turn that threat into momentum. Rochester Christian's steady inning-by-inning scoring kept Lawrence Tech off the scoreboard.
In game two Rochester Christian broke open a tight game with a three-run fourth inning and added five more runs over the final two innings to beat Lawrence Tech 8-3.
The Blue Devils grabbed the first lead in the second when
Andrew Merz homered to right field for a solo shot and a 1-0 advantage. Rochester Christian answered in the top of the fourth with a double to left followed with a sacrifice fly and an RBI double was added bringing in another run on a ground out to put the visitors ahead 3-1.
Lawrence Tech stayed within reach for much of the afternoon.
Max Coughlin gave the Blue Devils five innings on the mound, allowing four hits and three earned runs while striking out three on 67 pitches. At the plate, Lawrence Tech finished with eight hits, one more than Rochester Christian.
Luke Weinberger collected two hits and scored a run. The Blue Devils trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the seventh when pinch-hitter
Andrew Gingle grounded out to drive in a run.
Rochester Christian created breathing room in the eighth, on a bunt fielder's choice that produced a run when a throwing error allowed a runner to score, then an RBI walk brought in another run for a 5-2 lead. Lawrence Tech answered with a run in the bottom half, but could not get closer. Merz's home run accounted for one of the Blue Devils' biggest offensive moments, while the team also added a run in the eighth to make it 5-3.
Rochester Christian put the game away in the ninth when they delivered a two-run double followed with an RBI single as part of a three-run inning that closed the scoring.
The Blue Devils are on the road at Fort Wayne, Ind. competing against Indiana Tech Friday, April 24-25.
