GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Cornerstone was unable to find the victory column in a pair of close games against a high-powered Lawrence Tech offense, falling 6-4 in game one and 9-5 in game two. CU held the lead for much of the second game, but the Blue Devils scored six runs in the sixth inning on to drop the Golden Eagles to 15-22, 8-11 WHAC on the year. CU will continue the busy weekend at Lourdes tomorrow for a 1 p.m. double-header. 

Game One – Lawrence Tech – 6 Cornerstone - 4

• The high powered LTU offense that averages over seven runs a game got off to a fast start, as Joel Stirnemann led the game off with a double down the right field line. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. Brendan Miller limited the damage however as CU trailed by just the one headed into their first at bat. 
• Starter Brendan Miller returned to the mound in the second inning for CU and lost the zone a little bit walking back-to-back batters with one out. Nine-hole hitter Logan Walker was able to hit a ground ball up the middle for a two RBI single that increased the LTU lead to 3-0. 
• Cornerstone found the scoreboard in the bottom of the second as George Cutler led off the inning with a double. The pinch runner Jack Gagliardi later scored on a Grant Young single up the middle to make it 3-1. Another run scored on an RBI groundout from Andrew Meny that brought home Grant Young. CU trailed 3-2 after two innings of play. 
• For the first time in the game, both teams were held scoreless in the third inning. 
• Lawrence Tech added to their lead in the fourth inning with back-to-back RBI singles from Sam DeKuiper and Kellen Vanaszewski to make it 5-2. Cam VanPutten then entered to pitch as the first reliever for CU. 
• CU got a run back right away in the bottom of the fourth as Grant Young tripled. He later scored on an RBI double from Andrew Meny to bring the deficit back to two. 
• Cornerstone continued to chip away with an RBI triple from Matthew Kindley in the bottom of the fifth to bring the deficit to 5-4. 
• In the sixth, neither team would score as CU was sat down 1-2-3 by starting pitcher Kenny Wright to keep the Blue Devil lead at 5-4. 
• Lawrence Tech got a much-needed insurance run in the top of the seventh with a two out RBI double by Trent Reed. LTU led 6-4 going into the bottom of the seventh. 
• The man who recorded the insurance run RBI, Trent Reed, came in and pitched looking for the save in the bottom of the seventh. After getting two quick outs, Landon Poil doubled, and Matthew Kindley walked to put two runners on. Reed got out of it though getting a strike out to end the game in favor of LTU, 6-4.

 
Game Two – Lawrence Tech – 9 Cornerstone – 5

• Cornerstone got off to a strong start in game two as Jake Collins hit a two-run home run to left center field for his 10^th of the year to put them on top 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Lucas Vega added a two RBI single to score Matthew Kindley and Landon Poll later in the inning, increasing the lead to 4-0. 
• Lawrence Tech responded in the top of the second getting to Cornerstone starter Ryan McArthur. They were able to score two runs on an error that scored one and an RBI double from Trent Reed to cut the deficit in half. 
• The Blue Devils continued to chip away against starter Ryan McArthur, scoring another run on a Jason Erhardt RBI single in the top of the fourth. McArthur was able to avoid further damage though with a strikeout to end the inning and the score 4-3. 
• Lawrence Tech starter Dominic Puccetti really settled in later into the game striking out the side in the bottom of the fourth to get the Blue Devil offense right back to the plate. 
• Cornerstone got the offense going again with back-to-back doubles from Jake Collins and Landon Poll to go back up on top by two, 5-3. 
• Jason Erhardt again recorded a big hit to get the run right back in the top of the sixth with an RBI single off the new pitcher Drew Goodman. A sacrifice fly later in the inning tied the game for the first time at five with still no outs. Drew Goodman was able to settle in and get the next three LTU batters out to keep the game tied. 
• After some trouble in the top of the seventh, Josiah Stairs entered for Drew Goodman. He was unable to get out of it with two balks scoring a run. LTU then added another run on an RBI single to lead 7-5. The runs continued to come as LTU added two more for a total of four in the inning to lead 9-5. 
• Rafael Blom came in and pitched the top of the eighth and allowed just one hit with no runs to keep the deficit at just four. 
• Cornerstone could not get any offense going in the eighth or the ninth as they would fall 9-5 in game two. 

 
By the Numbers:
15 – In game two, Cornerstone struggled to put the ball in play, striking out 15 times to tie a season high. 
4-8/10 – Jake Collins went 4-8 at the plate and hit his 10^th home run of the year to take over the season lead from George Cutler. 
3.2/1 – Cam VanPutten pitched a strong 3.2 innings out of the bullpen in game one and allowed just one earned run. 
 
What's Next? 
Cornerstone travels to Lourdes for a 1 p.m. double-header tomorrow to continue WHAC play. 
 
Baseball Contact: Jesse Campbell 
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