Championship Central |
Tournament Bracket
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Lindenwood University broke through the University of Illinois Springfield bullpen during the eighth inning on Sunday, scoring five runs to cap the comeback with an 8-6 victory in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Baseball Championship game from Lou Brock Sports Complex.
The league crown is the first in the sport for the Lions, who joined the GLVC prior to the 2019-20 academic year. With the win, Lindenwood receives the automatic-qualifying bid to the 2021 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional tournament, which starts May 28 from Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.
The Prairie Stars grabbed the early lead with a three-run first inning, scoring thrice off singles from Austin Alderman and Chris Mathieu. First baseman Chris Monroe launched a solo shot in the fourth to grow the UIS advantage to four runs before Lindenwood strung together key knocks.
Bryce Beckmann and Will Lanxon put the Lions on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to a single run. Both offenses stalled in the middle innings until UIS’ Monroe struck again with a double that scored Kal Youngquist.
Trailing by three heading into the bottom of the eighth, Lindenwood’s Beau Collier pounced on UIS reliever Luke Fitton to knot the game at six apiece. The Lions were not done there, as Schulte and Beckmann each driving in another run to give Justin Taylor a two-run advantage against the heart of the UIS batting order. With a pair of runners on and just one out, Taylor induced a lazy fly from GLVC Player of the Year Zion Pettigrew before punching out Youngquist to lift the Lions to victory.
The first four hitters in the Lindenwood batting order drove in two runs apiece, combining to go 6-for-15 at the dish. Collier reached four times for the Lions, recording three hits from the 2-hole. Entering in the second inning in relief of starting pitcher Kyle Hentis, Jacob Thompson tossed six frames with two strikeouts, surrendering both of his runs at the hands of Monroe.
The baseball programs adds Lindenwood’s third GLVC championship this academic year, joining Women’s Swimming & Diving and Wrestling.