The Valparaiso men’s golf team combined for a 1-over par team score of 289 on Saturday to vault into first place after two rounds of the Horizon League Men’s Golf Championship at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.

The Crusaders head into Sunday’s final round with a team total of 590 and a two-shot lead over Cleveland State. Saturday’s score of 289 was the lowest any team in the tournament had posted over the first two days and represented a 12-stroke improvement from the first round.

Junior Thomas Wettstein (Neenah, Wis./Xavier) recorded his second-straight even par round of 72 and is in second place with a total of 144. He trails CSU’s Andrew Bailey by two shots headed into the final round.

Wettstein made three birdies on the front nine and added two more on the back nine. He birdied three of the four par-5s on the course.

Senior Austin Gaugert (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) and junior Kyle Henning (Brookfield, Wis./East) posted matching rounds of 1-under par 71. Gaugert is tied for third with a total of 146, and Henning is tied for sixth at 148.

Gaugert made two birdies on the front nine and two more on the back. Like Wettstein, he birdied three of the four par-5s.

Henning made on birdie on the front nine and posted three birdies and no bogeys coming home.

Fifth-year senior Brad Winters (Elgin, Ill./Saint Edward [Dayton]) shot a round of 75 and is tied for 12^th with a total of 152.

Senior Andy Webb (Bedford, Ind./North Lawrence) posted a round of 78 and is in 33^rd place.

The Crusaders conclude play at the Horizon League Championship with the final round on Sunday. A win would give the Crusaders an automatic berth into the NCAA Regional Championship. A link for live stats will be available on www.valpoathletics.com.