LAKELAND, Fla. (Duhawks.com) - Loras Baseball improved to 4-1 on the year Sunday with a 11-9 come from behind win against Waynesburg University. Sophomore Tony Heiser finished 3-for-5 with three singles and one RBI.

Loras plated the first three runs of the ball game, touching up Waynesburg starting pitcher for six hits over 1.1 innings. In the top of the first, junior Patrick Walsh and senior Spence Bonner hit back-to-back doubles to score the first run of the game. The Duhawks added a second run off a single by Heiser, scoring Bonner from second.

Making his first career start in a Loras uniform, freshman Brad Schwind worked his way out of the first inning after surrendering a walk and single with two outs.

In the second, the Duhawks led off with a single by sophomore Luke Leibforth, who later came around to score on a single by sophomore Cole Reeg to left field.

With Waynesburg on the ropes, Loras' rally came to an end as Walsh grounded into a double play, leaving two runners on base.

Both sides were kept in check over the next three innings, with both teams squandering opportunities.

In the bottom of the fourth, Waynesburg was threatening with runners on first and second with one out. After a fly out to left, junior Lucas Jacque gunned out the trailing runner at first who had extended their lead past the point of return, stifling the rally before any runs could score.

The Jackets finally got their offense running in the fifth, thanks to a leadoff double by Brent Williams.

Five base hits, two hit batters, a walk, and an error later, Waynesburg had put a six spot on the board. Timely hitting and selective swinging propelled the Jackets to a 6-3 lead.

After a quiet sixth inning, the Duhawks started their comeback in the seventh with a lead off single from Jacque. Sophomore Nolan Ritter then reached on an error, but was forced out on a double play ball.

With Jacque on third and Loras trailing by three, senior Anthony Flattery took the outside fastball to right field for a single. Walsh then followed with a double to the left field wall, scoring Flattery all the way from first.

The Jackets stole the momentum back in the home half, scoring on a single to right field and a ground out to first.

Trailing by three entering the eighth, the Duhawks kept their offensive production rolling. A leadoff single by Heiser was followed up by a double to left field by senior Adam Kennedy. After a sacrifice fly by Leibforth, Ritter drove in the second run of the inning with a groundout to second.

A perfect eighth inning from junior Nick Petruzzi brought the Duhawks back to the dugout needing one run to tie in the ninth.

With one out and the bases loaded, Kennedy was plunked, bringing home senior Nate Even from third, who was brought on as a pinch runner for Walsh.

Loras went on to plate three more runs in the inning to extend their lead to 11-8.

The Jackets managed to score once in the ninth on a solo home run, but that was all they could manage as junior Alex Steines recorded his first save of the year, recording a strikeout to end the ball game.

Game Changer
After Loras cut Waynesburg lead down to one in the top of the eighth, junior Nick Petruzzi came out and set the Jackets down in order in the bottom half, preventing an immediate response from Waynesburg

Key Stat
Loras recorded four RBIs with two-outs, while Waynesburg did not score any of their runs with two outs

Notables

Up Next
Loras concludes their Florida trip on Monday morning when they take on Wheaton College at 9 a.m.