The Prior Lake baseball team moved a step closer to the South Suburban Conference title.

The Lakers earned back-to-back wins over perennial power Lakeville North, winning 6-3 on the road May 16 and 9-5 at home the next day

Prior Lake also split two SSC games with Lakeville South, earning a 10-0 win at home May 15 and falling 4-3 on the road the day before.

The Lakers (13-2 overall, 12-2 in the SSC) will play a league doubleheader at Eastview May 21 starting at 3 p.m. The Lightning are a game behind Prior Lake in the SSC standings at 11-3.

Prior Lake ends the SSC season May 23 with a twinbill at Shakopee starting at 4:30 p.m. 

The Lakers end the regular season May 26 at Edina in a battle of Section 2AAAA foes at 2 p.m.

In beating Lakeville North in the first game, senior Corbin Cross homered, doubled and drove in three runs to lead the way, while junior AJ Lattery struck out six and allowed one earned run in a complete game.

Prior Lake broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the sixth inning, before adding two more in the seventh. Senior Mitch Goodwin was 2 for 3 with a double. Junior Russ Tanner also doubled and drove in a run, while sophomore Sam Emmerich had an RBI.

In the second win over the Panthers, Prior Lake scored six runs in the third inning to go up 6-1. Lakeville North added four runs in the fourth, but the Lakers answered that with three runs in the fifth.

Senior Cameron Bunkers started and worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits. Tanner pitched a scoreless inning of relief, while sophomore Jett Heinen went 2 2/3 scoreless frames with three strikeouts.

At the plate, senior Derek Kay led the offense, finishing 2 for 4 with a double, triple and three RBIs. Senior Ryan McDonald was 2 for 3 with a solo homer. Emmerich finished 1 for 2 with two RBIs, while Goodwin and senior Tyler Hopkins each drove in a run.

In the win over Lakeville South, junior Alex Watermann tossed a complete game, one-hitter, striking out nine. Prior Lake led 7- after two innings.

Hopkins finished 2 for 4 with four RBIs, while Cross also drove in two runs. Emmerich, senior Parker Hafermann and Watermann had RBIs. Kay was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

In the loss to Lakeville South, all three of Prior Lake’s runs came in the fourth inning. The Cougars scored a run in the fifth to go up 4-3.

Heinen took the loss, working four innings and allowing two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts. Senior Simen Restad worked two innings, fanning two and allowing two runs.

Sophomore Henry Emmerich finished for 2 for 2 with a double and two RBIs. Kay was 2 for 4.