On Friday, the #1-ranked Denison baseball team hosted the #25 Piedmont Lions in the first game of their best-of-three NCAA DIII Super Regional series in Granville. The Big Red found themselves behind 3-0 going going to the bottom the fifth inning, but rallied with nine straight runs to capture the 9-3 victory.

Left-fielder Jack Lutte paced the Big Red, going 2-for-5, including a double, and knocking in three runs. The junior from Venetia, Penn. leads Denison this season with 12 home runs and 64 runs batted in. First baseman Max Fishbein drove in two runs, while center fielder Erik Sundgren and third baseman Cade Nowik also added RBIs.

Starter Will Retig earned the win for the Big Red, staying perfect with a 12-0 record. The senior right-hander allowed the Lions’ three runs on six hits in his seven innings of work, while striking out four. Ryan Paganelis picked up his second save of the season, going two scoreless innings and not allowing a hit.

The teams are back on the diamond at 11:00 tomorrow morning. If the Big Red prevail, they will win their second Super Regional in as many years and head to the NCAA DIII Championship Series in Eastlake, Ohio. If Piedmont wins, the clubs will play a third and determinative contest right after.