CRESTWOOD – Keagan Bobbitt threw a dominant complete game to help Roosevelt split its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday at Ozinga Field against Purdue Northwest.

The junior lefty struck out 10 batters and allow just four hits, becoming the first Roosevelt pitcher in more than two years to enter double digits in strikeouts. His performance overlapped with the Lakers (9-30, 3-16 GLIAC) getting hot at the plate for a 14-2 win in the opening game. The Pride rebounded with a 6-3 win in the second game despite Roosevelt's pitching managing to escape several jams to keep the Lakers in the game.

ROOSEVELT 14, PURDUE NORTHWEST 2
The Lakers put up 11 hits and drew six walks to help set the stage for the potent offense to come to life. Roosevelt scored in its first five half innings at bat, plating multiple runs in four of those five frames. Even though the Lakers were retired in order in the sixth, they had already supplied plenty of offense for Bobbitt.

Purdue Northwest hit a two-out homer in the first to take an early lead, but was otherwise stymied by Bobbitt. The lefty struck out two in the first and two more in the second, the last of which came with runners on first and second with two outs. Bobbitt struck out the side in the third to retire the Pride in order and only let one runner advance to second after the Pride scored their other run of the game in the fourth.

James Berry wasted no time extending his hitting streak with a leadoff double in the bottom of the first into right field. He moved up to third on a flyout before scoring on a passed ball to tie the game. Jack Kieffer eventually drew a walk in that at-bat before stealing second and third on the same play when the ball escaped the shortstop's glove on a tag attempt. Kyle Jannenga then gave Roosevelt the lead for good with a double to straightaway center.

Harrison Kowalski walked in the second inning, stole second base then scored on a Berry single after an errant throw. Roosevelt added four more runs in the third inning to make it 7-1 with Kekoa Ogawa, Kieffer, Jack Hoh and William Zalabak all hitting doubles. Another Ogawa double in the fourth set the table for Kieffer to single up the middle and tack on another run. Hoh then singled in Sebastian Casillas, who reached on a fielder's choice, to make it 9-2.

Roosevelt put the game away for good in the fifth with five runs. Berry scored a pair of walks with a triple into the gap in right centerfield then Ogawa plated Berry with an RBI groundout. Kieffer was hit by a pitch then scored when the shortstop threw away a double-play ball. Jannenga then scored Casillas on a groundout to end the scoring.  

PURDUE NORTHWEST 6, ROOSEVELT 3
The Lakers' offense wasn't as productive in the second game of the day, but the pitching staff continued to battle out of tough situations to give Roosevelt a chance. After a ground-rule double put runners on second and third with two outs, Kaden Foran picked up a big strikeout to end the second inning. In the third, Foran limited the Pride to two runs with a strikeout and lazy flyout with a runner on second.

Roosevelt had a chance in the second inning to open the scoring when Jannenga hit a ground-rule double to put runners on second and third with no outs. However, a great defensive play from Purdue Northwest on a hard-hit line drive led to a double play to end the inning. Purdue Northwest found itself in a similar spot in the fifth inning, but Foran didn't allow a run courtesy of two strikeouts and a foul popout to third base.

Quinn O'Bryan cut the Lakers' deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth, moving station-to-station on a pair of groundouts after singling and advancing on an error. The Pride added two more in the seventh inning, but Trent Ottaviano was able to limit the damage after facing bases loaded with no outs.

Roosevelt put itself in position to respond in the bottom of the frame when O'Bryan smacked a double into left field to put runners on second and third with one out. A passed ball allowed one run to score, but the Lakers could not scratch across the third run.

Berry extended his hitting streak to 27 games with a single up the middle in the eighth inning, but was stranded on third base. The Pride tacked on two more runs in the ninth, which became important when Roosevelt scored in the bottom of the ninth. Instead of having the tying run in scoring position, the Lakers had a runner on second and could not advance him.

UP NEXT: Roosevelt and Purdue Northwest conclude their four-game series Saturday at noon at Ozinga Field.