Game 1 Box Score  |  Game 2 Box Score

The Malone University baseball team wrapped up its four-game weekend series with Point Park (PA) University on Saturday afternoon by splitting a pair of games at Green Tree Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth inning keyed PPU to an 8-5 victory in the opener. Malone managed to bounce back in the finale, though, snapping a 10-game Point Park winning streak with a 9-4 victory. Following Saturday's American Mideast Conference twinbill, Malone's record moved to 20-13 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Point Park, meanwhile, now holds a 21-5 overall mark, including a 3-1 record in the AMC.

Malone held a 4-1 advantage in game one before PPU took control with its big inning. A pair of bases-loaded doubles, the first coming with no outs by second baseman Bryce Pfeuffer and the second occurring with two down by first baseman Lee Bodnar, accounted for six of the hosts' seven runs in the frame. Malone cut the deficit to 8-5 with a run in the top of the sixth and then loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh. However, PPU reliever Ben Rodriguez, who entered the game at the start of the inning, induced back-to-back fly outs to escape the jam and notch his first save of the season. Malone starting pitcher Alex Haines suffered the loss (3-2) after surrendering five runs over the first three innings. Catcher T.J. Rosenberg paced the visitors at the plate by going 2-for-4 including a two-out, two-run double in the top of the third. First baseman Matt Anderson and rightfielder Marc Adams also posted two hits with a pair of runs scored.

Third baseman Bob Suitca gave Malone an early 1-0 advantage in game two with a solo homer to left in the top of the first inning. The lead then swelled to 4-0 in the top of the third following an RBI triple to center by second baseman Kyle Sprague and a two-run double to left by Rosenberg. PPU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single by catcher Dave Angle. Rosenberg made it 5-1 in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI single before Point Park cut the deficit in half by bringing home two runs in the bottom half of the fifth. PPU then threatened to pull ahead in the sixth. After centerfielder Brian Grise made it 5-4 with a two-out RBI double down the leftfield line, the next two Point Park batters were hit by pitches to load the bases. Malone starting pitcher Jared Messer was able to regroup, though, striking out Angle to preserve the one-run lead. The visitors then chased home four runs in the top of the seventh as the first five batters of the inning reached base. Suitca and Rosenberg again came through with the big hits, a two-run single through the right side of the infield for Suitca followed by another two-run double to center by Rosenberg. Point Park again loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but reliever Jesse Coblentz then entered the game and struck out the next PPU batter of the inning to preserve the 9-4 victory and notch his fifth save of the season. Messer improved to 3-3 on the year after working the first 6.2 innings, scattering 11 hits while striking out nine. Rosenberg continued to carry the hot bat, going 3-for-4 in game two with two doubles and five RBI's.

Malone will be back in action on Tuesday afternoon when the squad travels to Lima, Ohio for a 1:00 p.m. non-conference doubleheader against the University of Northwestern Ohio.