WEST LIBERTY – Cornell's baseball team opened the season in dramatic fashion Friday night with a 7-6 walk-off victory over Lakeland at West Liberty High School.
 
Freshman Elias Diaz was upon to pinch hit with the score tied, bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Diaz worked an RBI walk in his first collegiate plate appearance and Luke Hull trotted home with the winning run.
 
The Rams led 7-1 in Friday's second game before falling 19-7 in seven innings. Lakeland won the rubber game of the series, 11-1, on Saturday at Muscatine's Tom Bruner Field.
 
Jackson Hill and Hull both went 2-for-4 with a double in Friday's opening win. Hull drove in a pair of runs.
 
Senior Garrett Roehl earned the pitching win, recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth to keep the game tied. Lakeland (2-1) stranded the bases loaded in its final at-bat.
 
Nate Pacetti gave the Rams (1-2) a quality start on the mound, allowing two earned runs over five innings.
 
The Rams were held to three hits in Game 2 Friday, despite leading 7-1 through three innings. Lakeland charged back with a 12-run sixth frame.
 
Hill connected on a three-run homer for Cornell. Jimmy Moltini doubled in two runs.
 
Cornell gave away five unearned runs in Saturday's contest. Hull led Cornell's lineup with a pair of doubles. Hill also had two hits.
 
Starting pitcher Lucas Brutsche scattered six hits and two earned runs over six innings.
 
Coming up – The Rams open Spring Break play March 6 with a doubleheader against Clark University (Mass.) at 9 a.m. Friday in Davenport, Fla.