Arizona Christian Box Score  |  IWU Game 1 Box Score  |  IWU Game 2 Box Score 

The Malone University baseball team picked up three more wins Saturday afternoon in its final day of competition at the RussMatt Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona. The Pioneers topped Arizona Christian University 9-8 in the first contest of the day and then swept both games of their doubleheader with Indiana Wesleyan University, taking the opener 5-1 before claiming the finale in eight innings by a final score of 2-1. With the three victories, Malone stretched its winning streak to ten straight games and headed back to Ohio with a 15-5 overall record. Arizona Christian fell to 13-20 overall following Saturday's loss while Indiana Wesleyan dropped to 5-10.

Malone tallied four unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 7-2 lead over Arizona Christian. The Eagles answered with one run in the bottom of the inning and then added two more scores in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 7-5. Back-to-back two-out RBI singles by shortstop Kyle Sprague and first baseman Michael Chack stretched the Pioneer advantage to 9-5 in the top of the seventh. Arizona Christian responded with three more scores in the bottom of the eighth but was unable to complete the comeback in the ninth, falling by the one-run margin. Freshman right-hander Jack McDonald started on the mound and picked up his first collegiate win (1-0) after tossing the first five innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits. Right-hander Jesse Coblentz then entered the game in the sixth and worked the final four innings to notch his third save of the season. Despite posting just five hits in the game, the Pioneers' patience at the plate paid off as the squad drew a total of 12 walks. Centerfielder Allen Strouble drew three of those free passes while also ripping a leadoff double in the seventh and scoring three runs.

Right-handed pitcher Jared Messer led Malone past Indiana Wesleyan in his squad's second game of the day. Messer improved to 2-1 on the year after scattering seven hits and allowing just one run in a complete-game effort. All five of Malone's runs crossed the plate after two men were out. Catcher Bob Suitca got the Pioneers on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with a two-out RBI double. Designated hitter Corey Hartong then followed with a single to chase home Suitca and stake Malone to an early 2-0 advantage. A two-out RBI single by Strouble made the score 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Suitca then wrapped up the Pioneer scoring in the bottom of the fifth by blasting a two-out, two-run homer. IWU managed to bring home one score in the top of the seventh but it was not enough to overcome the sizable deficit.

The Wildcats grabbed the early lead in Saturday's finale with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Catcher T.J. Rosenberg tied it with a two-out RBI single in the top of the fourth. The score then remained deadlocked until the top of the eighth. Anderson got things started with a two-out single. Pinch runner Phil Navatsyk then stole second base and came around to score the go-ahead run on a Hartong single. IWU threatened with a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth but right-hander Tyler Newhart got a called third strike on the next batter to preserve the extra-inning victory and pocket his first save of the season. Right-hander Cullen Bahler picked up the win (1-0) after retiring the side in order in the bottom of the seventh. Malone tallied seven hits in the game as leftfielder Sam Craciun went 2-for-3 with a stolen base.

Malone is scheduled to return to action in Ohio on Saturday with its home opener against Ohio Dominican University. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium.