Game 1 Box Score  |  Game 2 Box Score

The Malone University baseball team swept both games of its American Mideast Conference doubleheader at local rival Walsh University Thursday afternoon, notching a 5-1 victory in the opener and a 13-1 triumph in game two. Starting pitcher Tyler Newhart led the way in game one, scattering six Cavalier hits en route to his third consecutive complete-game victory. The Pioneers' offense then erupted in the finale as the squad matched a season-high with 15 base hits. With the pair of victories, Malone improved its record to 30-17 overall, marking the fifth time in the last six years that the Pioneers have reached the 30-win plateau. Malone also climbed to 8-6 in AMC play, moving into a tie with Cedarville University for third place in the conference standings. Walsh, meanwhile, fell to 17-24 overall and 3-11 in the AMC.

The Pioneers jumped out a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one on back-to-back RBI base hits by catcher T.J. Rosenbergg and first baseman Michael Chack. Chack then struck again in the third, pushing the Malone lead to 4-0 with the first home run of his Pioneer career, a one-out, two-run blast. Cavalier leftfielder Dustin Lancy got Walsh on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third with a two-out single but Malone managed to get the run back in the top of the fourth on a solo homer by shortstop Joe Goddard. Walsh put runners on base in each of the final four innings but was unable to cut into the Pioneers' 5-1 advantage. Newhart struck out two and walked four over his seven innings of work to improve his record to 7-1 on the season. Chack went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, and three RBI's. Rosenberg added three hits in four at-bats with one run scored.

Malone held a 5-0 lead after three innings of game two. Walsh cut into the deficit on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the fourth but could get no closer before the Pioneers blew the game open with five runs in the sixth and three more runs in the seventh. Starting pitcher Jared Messer worked the first six innings, scattering eight hits and striking out six to improve his record to 5-4 on the year. Righty Nate Morrison then came on in the seventh and worked a 1-2-3 inning to close out the victory. Third baseman Bob Suitca and rightfielder Marc Adams each went 3-for-3 at the plate to pace the Malone offense. Suitca drove in a pair, ripping a solo homer in the in the third and an RBI single in the seventh. Adams registered a walk and two singles to go with an RBI double. Chack scored twice and helped put the contest out of reach in the sixth, plating three runs with a two-out, bases-loaded double. Goddard went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Also adding two hits apiece were second baseman Justin Shiflett and designated hitter Corey Hartong.

Bob Starcher Memorial Day, honoring Malone's legendary former head coach, will be held on Saturday at Thurman Munson Stadium as the Pioneers and Cavaliers conclude their four-game weekend series with a 6:00 p.m. doubleheader. The 2011 Bob Starcher Memorial Scholarship recipients, as well as, the Malone Athletic Department's Champions of Character honorees will be recognized prior to the start of game one on Saturday evening.