Game 1 Box Score  |  Game 2 Box Score

The Malone University baseball team opened its 2012 season on Friday afternoon at the RussMatt Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona by posting a 1-1 record in a pair of contests against Benedictine University at Springfield (IL). 

The Pioneers picked up a 6-2 victory in the opener behind a strong performance by starting pitcher Jared Messer.  The Bulldogs then evened things up, recording a 5-1 triumph in the second game of the doubleheader.

In the opener, Benedictine Springfield jumped out to a 2-0 lead by plating a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Malone rallied back for the win, though, driving in four runs in the top of the third and two more scores in the top of the sixth.  After the Pioneers had knotted the score at 2-2, first baseman Matt Anderson gave his squad the lead by ripping a cluth two-out, two-run double.  A sacrifice fly by designated hitter Michael Chack and an RBI single by third baseman Bob Suitca then provided the insurance runs in the sixth.

Messer tossed five solid innings in his spring debut, picking up the win after allowing the two unearned runs on two hits while striking out six.  Reliever Jesse Coblentz then entered the game in the bottom of the sixth and preserved Malone's four-run advantage with a pair of shutout innings.

In the second game of the afternoon, a sacrifice fly by leftfielder Sam Craciun tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth.  However, the Bulldogs pulled ahead with an unearned run in the top of the sixth and then put the contest out of reach with three more scores in the top of the seventh.  Starting pitcher Alex Haines suffered the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits over the first 6.1 innings.  Shortstop Joe Goddard went 2-for-4 at the plate in the loss, registering a stolen base and a triple.

The Pioneers will return to action in Arizona on Saturday with a 9:00 a.m. MST (11:00 a.m. EST) twinbill against Indiana Wesleyan University.