Box Score

The Malone University baseball team suffered a narrow 10-9 loss in its nine-inning contest against the University of Akron at Canal Park on Tuesday afternoon as the NCAA Division I Zips rallied back from a 9-7 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Malone, which also suffered a slim 14-13 loss to the Zips at Akron's Lee R. Jackson field last season, dropped to 19-10 overall with the defeat. Akron, meanwhile, improved to 5-17.

Third baseman Bob Suitca staked the Pioneers to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a two-out RBI single to right. Akron plated six unanswered runs over the next four innings to pull ahead 6-1 before Malone fought back to retake the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth and four more runs in the sixth. The back-and-forth affair then continued in the bottom of the inning as the Zips knotted the game 7-7 with an RBI triple.

Catcher T.J. Rosenberg made it 8-7 in the top of the seventh with a two-out RBI single. Leftfielder Sam Craciun then crossed the plate with the Pioneers' ninth run of the contest the following inning after ripping a one-out double down the leftfield line, moving to third on a groundout and then racing home on a wild pitch.

Malone's 9-7 advantage would not hold, though, as the Zips strung together four straight one-out hits in the bottom of the eighth, the last three all going for extra bases. The Pioneers put two runners on base with two outs in the top of the ninth before Akron closer Chris Bassitt induced a pop out to cement the Zips' victory and notch his fourth save of the season.

Right-hander Bryan Bayer started the game on the mound for Malone and earned a no-decision after surrendering five runs over the first three frames. Righty Nate Morrison then relieved Bayer and was saddled with the loss (1-2) after giving up five more runs over the next 4.1 innings. Righty Tyler Newhart came on for Morrison in the eighth and recorded the final two outs of the inning.

Malone ripped 11 hits in the contest. Craciun led the way at the plate for the Pioneers by going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Rightfielder Marc Adams also posted three hits, including an RBI double in the top of the sixth.

The Pioneers will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon when they host a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader against the University of Northwestern Ohio at Thurman Munson Stadium. Wednesday's start time was originally slated for 4:00 p.m. but was moved up to 2:00 p.m. in hopes of more daylight and warmer temperatures.