JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Elmhurst baseball team opened the 2019 season by splitting a doubleheader with Lawrence University. The Bluejays fell 4-3 in the opening game but scored a 6-2 victory in game two.
 
LAWRENCE 4, ELMHURST 3 – Lawrence scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning to erase a two-run deficit and earn the walk-off one-run win.
 
Elmhurst jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on a Tyler Kledzik sacrifice fly in the first, but Lawrence pulled even with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Kledzik put the Bluejays back in front with a run-scoring single in the top of the seventh and Calvin Truong squeezed home another run to give the Bluejays a two-run cushion.
 
Back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases for Lawrence in the bottom of the seventh. Clayton Agler delivered a two-run pinch hit double to tie the score at 3-3. The Vikings scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch with two outs.
 
Kledzik drove in two for the Bluejays while Trey Compton and Colin Winston totaled two hits apiece. Compton also scored a pair of runs for the Bluejays.
 
Alex Kielion made the start and took a no-decision, working six innings and allowing just five hits and three runs. He did not issue a walk and he struck out eight. Christian Ebeling took the loss in relief, surrendering one hit and one run with a walk.
 
ELMHURST 6, LAWRENCE 2 – Elmhurst collected nine hits and scored six times as the Bluejays earned the doubleheader split with a 6-2 win in game two.
 
Eight different Bluejays recorded hits in the victory with Karson Thomas recording two.
 
With the score tied at 2-2 in the sixth, Kevin Johlie put Elmhurst in front with sacrifice fly. Elmhurst added a run in the seventh on a Jordan Scrimpsher RBI double. The Bluejays tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for the four run-win.
 
Scrimpsher made the start from the mound and took a no-decision. He worked 4.1 innings and allowed just three hits and one run. He fanned seven while walking one. Tyler Sloan earned the win in relief, pitching 1.2 innings and allowing just one hit and one run while walking two and fanning two. Alec Berry pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the ninth to record the save. Berry struck out one in 0.2 innings pitched.
 
Elmhurst plays at Anderson University on March 10.