WINONA LAKE – The Grace College baseball team took down the Crossroads League leader for their first league victory of 2013 on Thursday.

The Lancers split with Spring Arbor with a 4-1 defeat in the first game before staging a comeback to win 4-3 in the second game.

Clifford Buttermore took the loss from the mound in the opening game despite allowing just three hits and three walks in a complete-game effort. Grace was credited with six errors in defeat, allowing the Cougars (11-10; 7-1 CL) to record four unearned runs.

Spring Arbor used Lancer fielding errors in both the fourth and fifth innings to get on the scoreboard.

The Cougars benefited from two errors in the fourth inning to stake a 2-0 lead. They also recorded one of their three hits in the game during the fourth.

The fifth inning saw Grace make an error on the first at-bat. The Cougars’ leadoff in the fifth proceeded to steal two bases and score on a squeeze bunt.

The Lancers (8-14; 1-11 CL) picked up their second hit of the game off a home run by Joey Hickerson in the seventh inning. His blast over the centerfield fence on the first pitch of his at-bat was his fifth homer of the season. Grace was unable to manage another baserunner after Hickerson’s home run, however.

In the second game, Grace trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the third before Hickerson reached base on a fielding error. Jacob Bloom then knocked a towering double over the rightfielder’s head to plate Hickerson.

The Cougars notched another run in the top of the fourth before the Lancers rallied to take their first lead of the day in the bottom of the fourth.

A single, walk and hit-by-pitch allowed the Lancers to load the bases with one out. Grace head coach Bill Barr then surprised Spring Arbor by calling a squeeze bunt, which Tyler Weber laid down to perfection in scoring Dillon Papa and reaching base safely.

An overthrown ball by Spring Arbor allowed Brook Vosler and Mike Shank to plate the go-ahead runs with two outs.

Dellos Schabel took care of the rest from the mound, keeping the Cougars off the scoreboard over the final three innings to secure Grace’s first league victory of the season. Schabel struck out six batters and allowed three hits in three innings of relief, picking up the win to his credit.

The Lancers will hope to continue their winning ways on Saturday when they travel to Goshen College for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.