APPLETON, Wis. -- The middle of the Lawrence University batting order gets a lot of credit, and rightly so, for the success for the Vikings.
    It was the bottom of the order that delivered on Friday morning for the Vikings.
    Ben Gutowski, the No. 9 hitter in the order, hit his first career home run to tie the game, and No. 7 hitter William Zatkowski delivered a two-run single to give the Vikings the lead in a 4-3 victory over Cornell College at Whiting Field in the opening game of the Midwest Conference Tournament.
    Lawrence (31-9) trailed 2-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh when Zatkowski led off the inning with a single. After an out, Gutowski hammered the ball over the fence in left field to tie the game at 2-2. 
    Cornell (23-17) struck back for a run in the top of the eighth, but the Vikings battled back in the bottom half of the inning. 
    Reliever Jake Schope came in for Vince Tinajero, whose only mistake through seven innings was the homer to Gutowski. Edan Perez walked to start the inning, and Jacob Charon followed with a single. After a strikeout, both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Schope got another strikeout and faced Zatkowski. 
    Zatkowski delivered, a two-strike, two-out single to score both runners for a 4-3 lead. 
    Cam Ruth, who had come on in relief in the seventh, worked a perfect ninth to seal the victory. Ruth allowed one hit over 2.1 innings, struck out three and walked one. Elden Santana made the start for the Vikings and went 6.2 innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, struck out two and walked one. 
    Lawrence advances to face Beloit College, which defeated the University of Chicago 11-1 in its opening game, on Friday afternoon at Whiting Field. Chicago takes on Cornell in an elimination game at Don Hawkins Field.