Dakota Wesleyan Box Score |
Northwestern Game 1 Box Score |
Northwestern Game 2 Box Score
The Malone University baseball team tallied a 1-2 record Monday during its third day of competition at the RussMatt Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona. The Pioneers began the day with a 14-3, six-inning victory over Dakota Wesleyan (SD) University. Malone was then swept in its doubleheader against Northwestern (IA) College later in the afternoon, losing the opener 13-3 in six innings before suffering a 5-4 defeat in the 11-inning nightcap. The Pioneers' overall record now stands at 4-4 following Monday's action. Dakota Wesleyan dropped to 1-6 with the loss in the opener while Northwestern improved to 3-4.
Malone tallied three runs in the top of the fifth and seven more runs in the top of the sixth to pull away for the run-rule victory over Dakota Wesleyan in Monday's first game. Bases loaded walks by rightfielder
Marc Adams and centerfielder
Allen Strouble along with a two-run double by shortstop
Joe Goddard helped fuel the Pioneers' big sixth-inning. Malone tallied 13 hits in all led by catcher
Bob Suitca's 3-for-4 performance from the clean-up spot. Leftfielder
Sam Craciun went 2-for-2 with a two-run triple in the first inning and a sacrifice fly in the sixth. In addition, second baseman
Justin Shiflett and first baseman
Matt Anderson both added two hits apiece. Right-handed starting pitcher
Camden Carter picked up the victory (1-0) after tossing the first five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out seven.
Malone committed six errors and threw five wild pitches in game one of its doubleheader against Northwestern. The Raiders led 8-1 after four innings and tacked on five more runs over final two frames to cement the run-rule victory. Right-hander
Michael Mazzan started and took the loss (0-1) after tossing the first two innings. The Pioneers were held to four hits in the game as Adams went 1-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI's.
Northwestern held a 2-0 advantage in Monday's finale before Malone tied things up in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back, two-out RBI singles by Suitca and shortstop
Anthony Cono. The contest then remained deadlocked until the top of the 11th as the Raiders plated three runs to grab a 5-2 lead. Following a leadoff groundout in the bottom of the inning, the Pioneers strung together five straight singles to cut the cut the deficit to 5-4. However, Northwestern managed to wiggle out of the bases-loaded jam and preserve the win by retiring the next two Malone batters.
Malone returns to action in Arizona on Tuesday with two more games. The Pioneers will take on Trinity International (IL) University at 12:30 p.m. MST (2:30 p.m. EST) before facing off with NAIA #11 Madonna (MI) University at 3:00 p.m. MST (5:00 p.m. EST).
