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The Lyle-Pacelli baseball team proved it can win when many things don’t go right in the first game and they dominated the nightcap as they swept a doubleheader over Mabel-Canton by scores of 6-5 and 17-2 in five innings in Marcusen Park Friday.

LP (5-0 overall) won the first game on a walk-off when Isaac Nelsen delivered a clutch RBI single to win the game after Jake Truckenmiller and Dane Schara had drawn walks to start the bottom of the seventh.

“I felt like that was the opportunity we needed,” Nelsen said. “We didn’t really want to go anymore innings because it was cold and wet. We got that one and then we came out in the second game and played great.”

There were just four total hits and eight errors between the two teams in the opener, but LP had 10 hits in the second game.

The Cougars scored four of their runs on LP miscues as Mac Nelson struck out eight and didn’t allow a hit in five innings of work. Hunter VaDeer struck out five in two innings to score the relief win in game one. Truckenmiller held the Cougars to two hits, while striking out five in five innings to win the nightcap.

The four and a half hour doubleheader was played in windy conditions with temperatures dipping into the low 40s.

“To stay warm, you’ve got to hit and run the bases,” Truckenmiller said. “It was nice on the mound, because I was moving the whole time. We tried to make the innings short and get quick outs. We just want to win every game we can and have fun while we’re doing it.”

Truckenmiller also had a two-run triple in the fourth inning, right after Logyn Brooks had belted a three-run double. 

LP’s pitchers have been solid this season, but the team still has a lot of things to work on.

“We’ve only given up like five or six hits all year, but we’re giving up runs,” LP head coach Brock Meyer said. “If we eliminate the errors, walks and passed balls, we’ll be a tough team to beat. We didn’t play very well in the first game, but Mabel-Canton played well and they made plays when they needed to. Winning the first one, I think it kind of relaxed us in the second game.”

MC 0 0 2  0 1 2  0 –   5  1  3

LP 2 0 0  0 3 0  1 –   6  3  5

LP pitching: Mac Nelson, 5 IP, 3 BB, 4 R, 1 ER, 8 K, 1 HBP; Hunter VaDeer (W) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K

LP hitting: Landon Meyer, 0-for-2, R, 2 BBs; Mac Nelson, 1-for-4, RBI, R; Hunter VaDeer, 1-for-3, RBI, R, HBP; Jake Truckenmiller, 0-for-2, R, 2 HBP; Dane Schara, 0-for-2, RBI, BB; Isaac Nelsen, 1-for-4, RBI; Jack Klingfus, 0-for-3; Trey Anderson, 0-for-3, SB; Logyn Brooks, 2 HBPs, R, BB

LP 3 4 2  6 2 –  17  10  2

MC 0 0 0  1 1 –   2   2    2