After a brief start to open the series on Friday, an extended outing from Saturday’s starting pitcher was just what the doctor ordered for the Valparaiso University baseball team. Connor Lockwood (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) delivered that in a big way, going the distance in a 9-2 victory over Bradley on Saturday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field. The Beacons took the lead with two in the seventh and then pulled away by scoring a half a dozen in the eighth.

How It Happened

• Lockwood was perfect the first time through the batting order and retired the side in order in four of the first five innings.
• The Beacons got on the board when Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central) drilled a home run to right in the fifth.
• Bradley responded with a solo shot of its own in the sixth to level the score at one.
• A two-out double helped the Braves take a 2-1 lead in the seventh, but that was short-lived as Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo) slugged Valpo’s second big fly of the game in the seventh to tie the game at two. Later in that frame, Alex Ryan added a sac fly to plate the go-ahead run.
• Valpo pulled away by scoring six times in the bottom of the eighth. Carson Husmann (Hanna, Ind. / South Central [Bradley]) walked with the bases loaded and Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) singled to drive in a run before Ryan drilled a bases-clearing double down the left-field line. The Beacons added one more as Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd [Wisconsin Oshkosh]) grounded a single through the left side.
• Lockwood had a pair of strikeouts in the final frame to cap off the 103-pitch CG.

Inside the Game

• Lockwood, who improved to 2-1 on the season with the win, scattered eight hits and limited Bradley to two runs while striking out nine and walking none.
• Lockwood threw Valpo’s first complete game since Bobby Nowak on April 15, 2023 at Bradley in a seven-inning contest. This was Valpo’s first nine-inning CG since Zach Fricke on May 11, 2019 vs. Southern Illinois.
• The 3-7 hitters in the Valpo lineup all enjoyed multi-hit outputs, led by Ryan and Giusti with three apiece. Ryan drove in four of the team’s nine runs on a day where Valpo outhit Bradley 14-8.
• The 14 hits marked Valpo’s highest total since March 8 at The Citadel (18).
• Valpo pitching issued no walks for the fourth time this season and first since March 12 at Gardner-Webb.
• Renfro’s home run was his first of the season and the 16^th of his collegiate career.
• Schmack’s home run was his ninth of the season and the 27^th of his career. He moved into sole possession of third in program history and surpassed Jeff Mandsager (2001-2003) on Saturday.

Up Next

Valpo (9-16, 1-4 MVC) will close out the weekend series against Bradley on Sunday at Emory G. Bauer Field.